Update on clinical trials of antiplatelet therapy for cerebrovascular diseases.
Antiplatelet medications are an important part of the therapy of cerebrovascular diseases. Oral agents such as aspirin have an established role in the secondary prevention of stroke. An aspirin and dipyridamole combination has recently been approved. Ticlopidine has been proven to be more effective than aspirin, but its potentially serious side effect profile makes long-term use hazardous. Clopidogrel has been demonstrated to be both more effective than and at least as safe as aspirin. The combination of clopidogrel plus aspirin represents the likely future therapy for high-risk patients. The role of oral antiplatelet therapy in the acute treatment of stroke is beginning to be clarified. Aspirin treatment appears to be strongly indicated. Intravenous antiplatelet therapy with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors for acute stroke and as an adjunct to carotid artery stenting appears promising.
Bhatt
D L
DL
Departments of Cardiology and Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Kapadia
S R
SR
Yadav
J S
JS
Topol
E J
EJ
D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D004176:Dipyridamole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D004176:Dipyridamole; D000077144:Clopidogrel; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin