title: Stroke prevention: which drugs to use and when?
abstract: This review summarizes recent findings from clinical trials regarding the prevention of stroke and translates these into therapeutic guidelines. A distinction is made between patients with previous cerebrovascular disease and those without, and between patients with and those without atrial fibrillation. Although the efficacy of aspirin is disappointingly small, the effects are consistent in all subgroups of patients with confirmed vascular disease, and this treatment remains superior as first choice except in patients with both atrial fibrillation and vascular risk factors, for whom oral anticoagulants are the optimal treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Rotterdam, 40, Dr. Molewaterplein, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands. koudstaal@ neur.azr.nl
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Koudstaal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants