New advice suggests that a dose of aspirin within 48 hours of stroke leads to a modest improvement in the outcome.

Aspirin thins the blood by stopping the platelet cells, which form clots, from clumping together. We already know that aspirin is useful in preventing heart attack in those at high risk. A new review now suggests aspirin is useful when given after a stroke.

A joint statement from the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Neurology says that giving aspirin within 48 hours of an acute stroke caused by a blood clot reduces death rates and disability. The effect is small - but significant. The experts base their advice on a new review of the evidence. However, they could not find sufficient support to recommend any other antiplatelet agents, and they say that anticoagulants have no impact on the outcome after a stroke.

Source

Stroke July 2002