Prevention

Give patients with suspected ischaemic stroke aspirin within 48 hours ^a or as soon as an intracranial haemorrhage has been excluded ^d

Why?

• Early aspirin reduces mortality in suspected ischaemic stroke. ^a
• Aspirin reduces recurrent stroke and myocardial infarction ^a

Giving aspirin early in suspected ischaemic stroke reduces mortality

Patient	Treatment	Comparison	Outcome	CER	RRR (95% CI)	NNT (95% CI)
suspected ischaemic stroke within previous 48 hours a	aspirin	placebo	death at 4 weeks	3.9%	14% (1% to 25%)	190 (96 to 3300)

Aspirin reduces myocardial infarction and stroke

Patient	Treatment	Comparison	Outcome	CER	OR (95% CI)	NNT (95% CI)
previous TIA or stroke a	anti-platelet drug	placebo or control	myocardial infarction, stroke or vascular death	22%	0.22 (0.18 to 0.26)	27 (19 to 44)