[SOCRATES -Acute Stroke Or Transient IsChaemic Attack TReated With Aspirin or Ticagrelor and Patient OutcomES]

Inclusion Criteria:

- Men or women equal or elder 40 years of age

- Either acute ischaemic stroke or high-risk TIA as defined here and randomisation
occurring within 24 hours after onset of symptoms

Key Exclusion Criteria:

- Planned use of antithrombotic therapy in addition to study medication including
antiplatelets (eg, open label ASA, GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors, clopidogrel, ticlopidine,
prasugrel, dipyridamole, ozagrel, cilostazol) and anticoagulants (eg, warfarin, oral
thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors, bivalirudin, hirudin, argatroban, unfractionated
and low molecular weight heparins). - Any history of atrial fibrillation, ventricular
aneurysm or suspicion of cardioembolic pathology for TIA or stroke. - Planned
carotid, cerebrovascular, or coronary revascularisation that requires halting study
medication within 7 days of randomisation. - Receipt of any intravenous or
intra-arterial thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy within 24 hours prior to
randomisation - History of previous symptomatic non-traumatic intracerebral bleed at
any time (asymptomatic microbleeds do not qualify), gastrointestinal (GI) bleed
within the past 6 months, or major surgery within 30 days.