Update on Dual Antiplatelet Therapy for Secondary Stroke Prevention.

Aspirin is recommended for patients with acute ischemic stroke within 24 hours of symptom onset. It may be beneficial for dual antiplatelet therapy including clopidogrel and aspirin to be administered in patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack for early secondary prevention, however, bleeding risk remains uncertain. This article will review the published literature concerning the role of dual antiplatelet therapy for secondary stroke prevention with focus on balancing both risk and benefit.

Prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism in hospitalized medically ill patients: Update and practical approach.

Purpose: Major updates in the medical literature for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in medically ill patients are reviewed. A suggested approach for risk assessment is provided along with a brief review of chemical prophylaxis use in special populations of the hospitalized medically ill.

Summary: Despite new and updated guidelines, the assessment of risk for both thrombosis and bleeding in medical patients continues to lack valid standardization.

P2Y2 nucleotide receptors enhance alpha-secretase-dependent amyloid precursor protein processing.

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is proteolytically processed by beta- and gamma-secretases to release amyloid beta, the main component in senile plaques found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease. Alternatively, APP can be cleaved within the amyloid beta domain by alpha-secretase releasing the non-amyloidogenic product sAPP alpha, which has been shown to have neuroprotective properties. Several G protein-coupled receptors are known to activate alpha-secretase-dependent processing of APP; however, the role of G protein-coupled nucleotide receptors in APP processing has not been investigated.