Does early high dosage dipyridamole in prevention of secondary stroke induce cardiac events?
Diener, H.C.; Darius, H.; Bertrand-Hardy, J.M.; Humphreys, M.
Zeitschrift für Kardiologie 90(5): 348-351
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5860 PMID: 11452896 Document Number: 538473
In a post hoc analysis of the European Stroke Prevention Study 2 (ESPS2), we investigated whether dipyridamole given as antiplatelet drug in patients with TIA or stroke increases the risk of cardiac events. ESPS2 was a secondary prevention trial including 6602 patients with TIA or stroke. Patients were randomized into one of four treatment arms: 2 x 25 mg acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), 2 x 200 mg slow release dipyridamole (DP), the combination of DP and ASA and placebo. DP did not result in a higher number of cardiac events, e.g., angina pectoris, myocardial infarction or death. The combination of ASA plus DP was superior to either drug alone in the prevention of strokes.