Summary
Dipyridamole has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease). ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Dipyridamole to Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease): 1 is currently recruiting; 2 are active or not yet recruiting; 5 have completed. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT00562588). The largest enrolment is 665533 participants (NCT01947959). Registration activity spans 2003 to 2025. The literature layer holds 12 publications for this pair: 5 Cochrane reviews, 2 systematic reviews and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2018 to 2026. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Ischemic Stroke ranks 577 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Spontaneous early neurological improvement in 10-20% within 24 hours of ischaemic stroke without intervention; functional independence at 3 months in only 40-50% without revascularisation; 15% 30-day mortality untreated.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 73.5 (trials 23.5, literature 30.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 8 total: 1 recruiting, 2 active / not yet recruiting, 5 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 12 (5 Cochrane reviews, 5 clinical trial publications, 2 systematic reviews) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | Open Targets, ChEMBL |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT00562588 | EARLY 3-months Aggrenox Treatment Started Within 24 Hrs of Ischemic Stroke Onset vs. After One Week 100 mg ASA 2007 | completed | Phase 4 | 551 |
| NCT00562289 | Patent Foramen Ovale Closure or Anticoagulants Versus Antiplatelet Therapy to Prevent Stroke Recurrence 2007 | completed | Phase 3 | 664 |
| NCT01947959 | Study of Rivaroxaban Use and Potential Adverse Outcomes in Routine Clinical Practice (Germany) 2011 | completed | Not applicable | 665,533 |
| NCT00465270 | Patent Foramen Ovale Closure or Medical Therapy After Stroke - RESPECT Trial 2003 | completed | Not applicable | 980 |
| NCT01947998 | Study of Rivaroxaban Use and Potential Adverse Outcomes in Routine Clinical Pratice (UK) 2011 | completed | Not applicable | 50,299 |
| NCT06983795 | Pioneering Advancements in Cardiocerebrovascular Interactions in the Asia pacFIC - Patent Foramen Ovale Study 2025 | not yet recruiting | Not applicable | 1,000 |
| NCT06549582 | Th Tl Xb Prescription on Reprogramming of Lipid Metabolism and Endothelial Injury for Cerebral Infarction Patients 2024 | not yet recruiting | Not applicable | 160 |
| NCT06899399 | Efficacy and Safety Study of Endovascular Treatment of Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis 2024 | recruiting | Not applicable | 982 |
Published literature
- Cochrane review Impact of dual antiplatelet therapy within 72 hours post mild ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack: meta-analysisXie J · Brain injury · 2026 · PMID 41251253
- Cochrane review Antiplatelet versus anticoagulation treatment for people with heart failure in sinus rhythmKozieł-Siołkowska M, Shantsila E, Shantsila A et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025 · PMID 40497467
- Cochrane review Acute treatment and secondary prevention for patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack: A Bayesian network meta-analysisGuo S, Qin S, Xu D et al. · European stroke journal · 2025 · PMID 39614640
- Cochrane review Efficacy and safety of edaravone combined with Ginkgo Leaf Extract and Dipyridamole in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction: A systematic review and meta-analysisLyu Y, Xu B · Medicine · 2024 · PMID 39496028
- Clinical trial publication Bleeding with intensive versus guideline antiplatelet therapy in acute cerebral ischaemiaWoodhouse LJ, Appleton JP, Christensen H et al. · Scientific reports · 2023 · PMID 37474599
- Cochrane review Antiplatelet therapy for secondary prevention of lacunar stroke: a systematic review and network meta-analysisHou X, Cen K, Cui Y et al. · European journal of clinical pharmacology · 2023 · PMID 36342528
- Clinical trial publication Effects of Dose Titration on Dipyridamole-Induced Headache: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical TrialKang MK, Cha JK, Chang DI et al. · Cerebrovascular diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022 · PMID 35034023
- Systematic review Contemporary antiplatelet therapy for secondary stroke prevention: a narrative review of current literature and guidelinesShah J, Liu S, Yu W · Stroke and vascular neurology · 2022 · PMID 35393359
- Systematic review Antiplatelet drugs for secondary prevention in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack: a systematic review and network meta-analysisDel Giovane C, Boncoraglio GB, Bertù L et al. · BMC neurology · 2021 · PMID 34399713
- Clinical trial publication Comparison of Antiplatelet Therapies for Prevention of Patent Foramen Ovale-Associated StrokeKasner SE, Randall B, Andersen G et al. · Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association · 2020 · PMID 32037269
- Clinical trial publication Triple versus guideline antiplatelet therapy to prevent recurrence after acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack: the TARDIS RCTBath PM, Woodhouse LJ, Appleton JP et al. · Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2018 · PMID 30179153
- Clinical trial publication Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole versus clopidogrel alone or aspirin and dipyridamole in patients with acute cerebral ischaemia (TARDIS): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 superiority trialBath PM, Woodhouse LJ, Appleton JP et al. · Lancet (London, England) · 2018 · PMID 29274727
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dipyridamole approved for Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease)?
Dipyridamole has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease) would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease). Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Dipyridamole in clinical trials for Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease)?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Dipyridamole to Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease): 1 is currently recruiting; 2 are active or not yet recruiting; 5 have completed. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT00562588). The largest enrolment is 665533 participants (NCT01947959). Registration activity spans 2003 to 2025.
What does the evidence show for Dipyridamole in Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease)?
Dipyridamole has both completed registered trials and synthesis-level publications linked to Stroke (Ischaemic / Cerebrovascular Disease). That is the strongest profile in this database, but the summaries here do not extract effect sizes, so read the linked reviews for direction and magnitude of benefit. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in Open Targets and ChEMBL. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.