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Clopidogrel in secondary ischemic stroke prevention

Robert Belvís1, Javier Pagonabarraga, Amparo Santamaría

  • 1Department of Neurology, USP Dexeus University Institute, Barcelona, Spain. 32353rbn@comb.es

Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery
|June 10, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet drug effective for secondary prevention of heart attack and stroke. Combining clopidogrel with aspirin offers enhanced protection for specific high-risk patient groups.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Clopidogrel was introduced in 1996 following the CAPRIE study for secondary prevention of cardiovascular events.
  • It demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to aspirin (ASA) as an antiplatelet agent.
  • Recent evidence suggests dual antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel plus ASA) provides superior protection in select patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evidence on clopidogrel's efficacy in secondary prevention of ischemic stroke.
  • To evaluate the benefits of combined clopidogrel and ASA therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of published studies and clinical trial data.
  • Analysis of patient subgroups benefiting from dual antiplatelet therapy.

Main Results:

  • Clopidogrel is effective for secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarct (AMI), ischemic stroke (IS), and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
  • Dual therapy with clopidogrel and ASA shows improved outcomes in patients with a history of cardiovascular events, diabetes, on statins, or with significant carotid stenosis.

Conclusions:

  • Clopidogrel is a valuable option for secondary prevention of ischemic events.
  • Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and ASA offers enhanced protection for high-risk individuals, warranting further investigation and tailored clinical application.

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