Secondary Stroke Prevention - Recent Advances: Subtherapeutic Dosage

by Prof. Dr. med. Hans-Christoph Diener, Martin Grond, Michael Böhm, Hans-Henning Eckstein, Michael Forsting, in volume 44/2007

The authors do not mention that in ESPRIT – in the comparison between dipyramidole+ASA versus ASA – a substantial proportion of patients did not receive sufficiently high doses of ASA (<75 mg/day). It is correct to state that in case of subtherapeutic ASA dosage, additional dipyramidole offers protection from serious events, with an NNT of 80 per year. This statement is far removed from clinical practice and does not benefit patients, and the NNT is not impressive either.
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2008.0128b

Martin Gerken
Humboldtstr. 131
28203 Bremen, Germany

Conflict of interest statement
The author declares that no conflict of interest exists according to the guidelines of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.