Uptake of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After High-Risk Transient Ischemic Attack at a University Hospital

Multiple randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) significantly reduces the risk of subsequent stroke as compared to aspirin monotherapy after high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor ischemic stroke. We sought to evaluate the uptake of DAPT after high-risk TIA at a single center. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutive TIA patients admitted via the Emergency Department (ED) of Bern University Hospital (1/1/2018-12/31/2019). We use descriptive statistics to detail cohort characteristics and compared patients treated with DAPT to those not treated. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05 and all tests of comparison were two-sided. A total of 383 TIA patients were seen during the study period, 247 were eligible for DAPT. Among those eligible for DAPT, mean age was 72 years and 51% were female. A total of 49 (19.8%) eligible TIA patients were treated with DAPT; use of DAPT significantly increased from 2018 to 2019. Patients admitted to the stroke unit or intensive care unit (n = 33) had a significantly higher proportion of DAPT treatment as compared to those admitted to the general neurology ward or discharged to home from the ED. DAPT use was also significantly higher in patients with large artery atherosclerotic disease (n = 23) as compared to other etiological subtypes and significantly higher among patients who arrived to the ED within 24 h of symptom onset (n = 178). In conclusion, we found that only 2 out of every 10 high-risk TIA patients received DAPT in the years following its introduction in the clinical practice. Our results suggest that strategies to improve the uptake of new, evidence-based secondary stroke prevention treatment after high-risk TIA are needed.