Antiplatelet agents in secondary prevention of stroke
De Gautard, G.; Perrier, A.
Revue Medicale Suisse 10(446): 1902 1904-7
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 1660-9379 PMID: 25438372 Document Number: 676912
Stroke is responsible for high morbidity and mortality. Antiplatelet agents are the cornerstone for secondary prevention of stroke and prescription of aspirin, clopidogrel or aspirin and dipyridamole are recommended based on strong evidence. Whether combining two antiplatelet agents would be more effective is still debated. Studies conducted in the early phase of stroke (from 24 hours to 3 months) show the superiority of dual antiplatelet the- rapy compared to aspirin alone. In contrast, long-term dual antiplatelet therapy is associated with an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage and therefore deleterious. This article reviews current evidence and outlines future perspectives.