ESOC 2021 | Expedited recommendation for short-term dual antiplatelet therapy after minor stroke & high-risk TIA

Ana Catarina Fonseca, MD, PhD, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal, discusses the recent expedited recommendation for the use of short-term dual antiplatelet therapy after minor stroke and high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA), set out by the European Stroke Organisation Guideline Board. Several recently completed clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of short-term dual antiplatelet therapy versus single antiplatelet therapy in this patient population. The guidelines set out a strong recommendation for the use of 21-days of aspirin and clopidogrel in individuals with a non-cardioembolic minor ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA in the past 24 hours. Another trial has suggested 30-days of dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and ticagrelor may be beneficial, but the recommendation is weak given the lower quality evidence and higher risk of bleeding than with combined aspirin and clopidogrel. This interview took place at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC), 2021.