New Drug Combination May Reduce the Chance of Stroke

A vascular neurologist with Neurology Associates of Westchester, Dr. Stephen J. Marks has focused much of his career on advancing stroke care. Dr. Stephen J. Marks currently directs the Stroke Center and Neurovascular Program at Westchester Medical Center and has contributed to several stroke treatment research initiatives.

Although a major stroke can cause significant and lasting damage, a minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is often a less serious medical event. However, minor strokes and TIAs put patients at greater risk of experiencing a major stroke in the future. Many patients receive prescriptions for anticoagulants to lower the chance of major stroke and prevent the reoccurrence of blockages that obstruct blood flow to the brain.

A research team at The University of Texas at Austin found that adding aspirin to this regimen may further reduce a patient's risk of major stroke. The recommendation follows an analysis of data involving nearly 5,000 adult patients across 10 countries who had experienced a minor stroke or TIA. The team noticed that the patients who took aspirin alongside the anticoagulant clopidogrel had a 25 percent lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or clot-related fatality within three months of the primary event.

The researchers discovered that this regimen would increase the risk of bleeding in five out of every 1,000 patients. Patients in this pool could also expect 15 fewer major strokes and other ischemic events. Due to the potential decrease in stroke occurrence and the fact that none of the bleeding events were fatal and most were preventable or treatable, the team concluded that the treatment’s benefits outweigh the risks.