Aggrenox((R)) versus other pharmacotherapy in preventing recurrent stroke

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the US with recurrent events a high likelihood in those who survive an initial event. The long-term goal of therapy is to prevent the recurrence of stroke and other atherosclerotic events. Aspirin has been the first-line agent for stroke prevention for a long time. As new antiplatelet agents have been introduced, their role in the secondary prevention of stroke remains to be defined. In particular, the role of the combination of aspirin and modified-release dipyridamole (Aggrenox, Boehringer Ingelheim Corp.), the newest product, in the secondary prevention of stroke, remains unknown. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the evidence of these antiplatelet agents in the secondary prevention of stroke and arrive at a conclusion specifically regarding the role of Aggrenox. Clinical studies which examined stroke as a single primary outcome or as one event in a combined primary outcome will be reviewed.