Reported in a new study,  c****ining Plavix and a regular aspirin may greatly lower the risk of stroke.

Sanofi yesterday released positive results from the ACTIVE-A study. ACTIVE-A tested the addition of Plavix (clopidogrel) to aspirin to prevent majorcardiovascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are unsuitable for vitamin K antagonists (such as warfarin)

The findings was led by Dr. Stuart Connolly of the McMaster University in Canada, and was presented at the yearly meeting of the American College of Cardiology.

The researchers c****ined the drug with aspirin in a clinical trial of 7,554 patients, and discovered it could assist patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) that are not able to take other *lo**-thinning therapiessuch as warfarin.

What they discovered was that after Plavix was taken with an aspirin, the number of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks or strokes decreased by 11%.

The chance of a stroke was determined to be reduced by more than 30% thanks to the c****ination of the two drugs.

Heart attacks were discovered to be lowered as well, but the decrease wasnt seen as statistically important.

For patients with atrial fibrillation who are at increased risk for stroke but cannot take oral anticoagulants, these findings suggest a potential change in clinical practice, said ACTIVE A principal investigator Stuart Connolly, MD, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Stroke is a major concern since it results in significant morbidity and mortality.

The only downside was that there was a higher rate of bleeding or hemorrhaging from the c****ination of the two drugs.

Nevertheless, researchers believe that this could be a new way to prevent strokes.

The report is published in the 31 March web issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, NEJM and were also presented on Tuesday at the American College of Cardiology scientific meeting in Orlando, Florida.