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02.01.2024

BrainWaves #93 Aspirin vs. Plavix: The showdown


MedLink Neurology
Podcast is delighted to feature selected episodes from BrainWaves, courtesy of James E Siegler MD, its originator and host. BrainWaves is an academic audio podcast whose mission is to educate medical providers through clinical cases and topical reviews in neurology, medicine, and the humanities, and episodes originally aired from 2016 to 2021.

Originally released: Jan 18, 2018

When it comes to stroke, treatment is dependent on the stroke mechanism. But most patients wind up on aspirin anyway. Or Plavix (clopidogrel). And sometimes both. The question this week is, Why? I hope you're hungry for some fruit because we're comparing a bunch of apples to oranges in this episode of the BrainWaves podcast.

Produced by James E Siegler. Music by William Ross Chernoff's Nomads, Steve Combs, Rui, Little Glass Men, and Peter Rudenko. Voiceover by Erika Mejia. BrainWaves' podcasts and online content are intended for medical education only and should not be used for routine clinical decision-making. Even if this episode is all about choosing aspirin or clopidogrel when you're treating stroke patients. Always talk with your doctor, and if you are a doctor, you should rely on institutional policies and your own clinical judgment when treating patients.

REFERENCES

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Bhatt DL, Fox KA, Hacke W, et al. Clopidogrel and aspirin versus aspirin alone for the prevention of atherothrombotic events. N Engl J Med 2006;354(16):1706-17. PMID 16531616

CAST: randomised placebo-controlled trial of early aspirin use in 20,000 patients with acute ischaemic stroke. CAST (Chinese Acute Stroke Trial) Collaborative Group. Lancet 1997;349(9066):1641-9. PMID 9186381

Collaborative overview of randomised trials of antiplatelet therapy--I: Prevention of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke by prolonged antiplatelet therapy in various categories of patients. Antiplatelet Trialists' Collaboration. BMJ 1994;308(6921):81-106. Erratum in: BMJ 1994;308(6943):1540. PMID 8298418

CAPRIE Steering Committee. A randomised, blinded, trial of clopidogrel versus aspirin in patients at risk of ischaemic events (CAPRIE). CAPRIE Steering Committee. Lancet 1996;348(9038):1329-39. PMID 8918275

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Ringleb PA, Bhatt DL, Hirsch AT, Topol EJ, Hacke W; Clopidogrel Versus Aspirin in Patients at Risk of Ischemic Events Investigators. Benefit of clopidogrel over aspirin is amplified in patients with a history of ischemic events. Stroke 2004;35(2):528-32. PMID 14739421

Rothwell PM, Price JF, Fowkes FG, et al. Short-term effects of daily aspirin on cancer incidence, mortality, and non-vascular death: analysis of the time course of risks and benefits in 51 randomised controlled trials. Lancet 2012;379(9826):1602-12. PMID 22440946

The International Stroke Trial (IST): a randomised trial of aspirin, subcutaneous heparin, both, or neither among 19435 patients with acute ischaemic stroke. International Stroke Trial Collaborative Group. Lancet 1997;349(9065):1569-81. PMID 9174558

Wang Y, Wang Y, Zhao X, et al. Clopidogrel with aspirin in acute minor stroke or transient ischemic attack. N Engl J Med 2013;369(1):11-9. PMID 23803136


We believe that the principles expressed or implied in the podcast remain valid, but certain details may be superseded by evolving knowledge since the episode’s original release date.

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