Secondary prevention of stroke — an update

Stroke disease remains a national priority due to the high morbidity and mortality. Good clinical practice dictates that risk factors are identified and corrected. Various therapeutic regimens have been tested in trials of sufficient strength to give answers. In the second European Stroke Prevention Study (ESPSZ), low dose aspirin (50 mg/d), sustained release dipyridamole (200 mg/d) were shown to reduce recurrence of stroke and TIA. The combination was twice as effective. Also in the Clopidogrel/aspirin Prevention of Recurrence of Ischaemic Events (CAPRIE) trial clopidogrel was shown to be superior to aspirin. In clinical practice patients with stroke or TIA should be investigated rapidly, their risk factors corrected and appropriate drug regimens implemented.