Purpose: Evidence-based stroke clinical practice guidelines provide guidance as how to best manage patients with cerebrovascular disease. Where there are grey zones, the clinician decides what she/he feels is the most appropriate in that circumstance. This study was performed to determine how adult neurologists in Singapore would use antiplatelets(AP) and anticoagulants(AC) for their ischemic stroke patients in various settings where the evidence is uncertain.
Methods: A standardised questionnaire was sent to adult neurologists in Singapore. The questions evaluated their preferred type and dose of AP, use of heparin prior to initiating warfarin, and their preferred treatments in 6 different clinical scenarios.
Results: A total of 31/33 neurologists responded (93.9%). For long term secondary prevention, 71.0% preferred aspirin only, 22.6% clopidogrel/ticlopidine only, 6.5% aspirin plus dipyridamole. Anticoagulation with warfarin was initiated with a heparin bolus by 45.2%. AC were preferred by 80.6% for stroke in evolution, 80.6% for presumed basilar artery thrombosis, 54.8% for crescendo TIAs. For patients awaiting CEA, 58.1% preferred AP, 32.3% AC. For patients on preferred AP developing another cerebrovascular event with no new underlying cause, 48.4% would change AP, 25.8% would add another AP. For patients on adequate AC for non-cardioembolism developing another cerebrovascular event, 54.8% would add anti-platelet, 19.4% would increase AC.
Conclusions: The widespread use of aspirin for long-term secondary prevention is similar to other countries. The variation in the use of antithrombotic agents in other settings may reflect the lack of sufficient evidence to guide therapy in the various specific stroke patient management scenarios.
Key words: neurologist, practice, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, stroke, cerebrovascular disease.