Description: Stroke remains a common and costly problem worldwide, but substantial advances have been made in recent decades in understanding stroke mechanisms, risk factors, and therapies. Because thrombosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, drugs that interfere with hemostasis and clot formation such as anticoagulants and platelet antiaggregants commonly are used in the management of cerebrovascular disease. Considerable evidence supports the use of certain antithrombotic drugs in stroke prevention. However, because of limited supportive data, the use of these agents in patients with acute ischemic stroke remains controversial.