Optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy for secondary stroke prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Key Points

• To determine the optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy for preventing secondary strokes.
• Conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant clinical studies.
• Included trials assessing different durations of dual antiplatelet therapy for secondary stroke prevention.
• Analyzed data to compare outcomes related to stroke risk across varying treatment lengths.
• Identified significant reductions in stroke risk with longer durations of therapy, particularly beyond 12 months.
• Shorter durations showed less effect, with minimal differences noted after initial therapy periods.
• Pooled analysis indicates an optimal treatment duration of 12 to 24 months; 95% CI and p-values were provided in the full text.