Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Transient Ischemic Attack and Minor Stroke

Abstract

Some patients with stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) of the brain are at high risk for early recurrent stroke, usually due to arterial thromboembolism.^1,2 Aspirin reduces the risk of early recurrent stroke by only 12% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3 to 20).³ Adding clopidogrel to aspirin in patients with acute coronary syndromes reduces the risk of recurrent vascular events by 20% (95% CI, 10 to 28) but increases the risk of major bleeding by 38% (95% CI, 13 to 67).⁴ For patients with acute ischemic stroke, who are prone to early spontaneous hemorrhagic transformation of infarcted brain, adding . . .