Key result
Long-term antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of vascular events by approximately 25% in high-risk patients for secondary stroke prevention.
Why the study?
Does long-term antiplatelet therapy reduce the risk of vascular events in high-risk patients and those with a history of non-cardioembolic stroke or TIA?
Does long-term antiplatelet therapy reduce the risk of vascular events in high-risk patients and those with a history of non-cardioembolic stroke or TIA?
Long-term antiplatelet therapy is broadly recommended for secondary stroke prevention in patients with non-cardioembolic stroke or TIA, reducing vascular events by approximately 25%, though its role in primary prevention is less clear.
Affirms antiplatelet role in secondary prevention; leaves open optimal regimens and primary prevention utility.
Stroke is the second cause of death worldwide and one of the leading cause of disability. Due to the high rate of recurrence, in high risk-patients (eg patients affected by atherosclerotic vascular disease), long-term antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of vascular events such as non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or vascular death. The percentage of reduction of the events can be estimated in approximately 25%. These data justify the directions that are given to us by the current guidelines for prevention of secondary stroke, which recommend the broad use of antiplatelet therapy both for the secondary prevention of stroke in patients with a history of non-cardioembolic stroke or TIA. As for the primary prevention indications are less accurate because the absolute benefi ts of aspirin in reducing the happening of vascular events, are generally much lower than in secondary prevention. Although several trials have been investigated use of antiplatelet drugs in ischemic stroke patients, ascertaining the sure benefit, especially in secondary prevention in non-cardioembolic stroke, various issues remains unclarified, and new questions raises with the analysis of the results of available trials.
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Pinto et al. (2014) conducted a review in Stroke. Antiplatelet therapy was evaluated on Vascular events (non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or vascular death). Long-term antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of vascular events by approximately 25% in high-risk patients for secondary stroke prevention.
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