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Testing lower-dose blood thinner therapy after carotid artery stent placement

Plain-English translation of NCT06276374 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated May 2026 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

What is this trial?

After a carotid artery stent is placed (a small tube inserted into a narrowed artery in your neck), patients typically take two blood-thinning medications together to prevent clots and strokes. This trial is testing whether people at high risk of bleeding can safely take just one of these medications—either aspirin or clopidogrel—for 11 months after their stent, instead of continuing both. The goal is to reduce bleeding complications while still protecting against stroke.

People at high risk of bleeding face a difficult choice after getting a carotid stent: taking two blood thinners reduces their stroke risk but increases their risk of dangerous bleeding. This trial aims to find out whether using just one blood thinner medication might offer a safer balance for these patients, preventing both strokes and serious bleeding events.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are at least 19 years old
you have significant narrowing of your carotid artery (the artery in your neck that supplies blood to your brain) and are having or have recently had a stent placed
you have at least one clinical factor that puts you at high risk of bleeding, such as recent gastrointestinal bleeding, low platelet count, advanced age (75 or older), kidney or liver disease, or a history of brain microbleeds
you completed the first 30 days after your stent procedure without experiencing any serious complications

You likely don't qualify if…

you experienced a stroke, heart attack, or major bleeding within 30 days after your stent placement
you stopped taking both blood thinner medications within the first 30 days after your stent (except briefly for infection or injury)
you are allergic to aspirin or clopidogrel
you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant during the trial
you need to take blood-thinning medication (anticoagulants) for 12 months or longer for other conditions

What participation looks like

After your carotid stent is placed, you'll take two blood thinner medications together for 30 days. If you have no complications during this month, you'll be randomly assigned to either continue both medications or switch to taking just one for the next 11 months. You'll have follow-up appointments at 5 months and 11 months after this assignment, and then annual check-ins by phone or office visit until the end of 2029. The study team will monitor you for any signs of bleeding or stroke throughout this time.

Testing lower-dose blood thinner therapy after carotid artery stent placement

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(1 site)