The FDA has approved a new drug that combines two active ingredients -- aspirin and dipyridamole -- into one pill to reduce the risk of stroke for patients who have already had transient ischemic attacks or completed ischemic strokes due to blood clots in the brain.

The clinical double-blinded study of the new drug included 6,602 patients who had an ischemic stroke (76%) or transient ischemic attack (TIA, 24%) within three months prior to entry. The results showed the combination reduced the risk of stroke by 36.8% and the cumulative risk of stroke and death by 24.2% compared to placebo.

The study also compared the use of the combination to the single use of each active ingredient and results showed the combination was more favorable for reducing risk of stroke than each active ingredient alone.

The new drug is contraindicated for patients with hypersensitivity to dipyridamole, aspirin or any of the product's other components. Adverse events associated with the use of the drug include headache, abdominal pain, dizziness and nausea.