Cilostazol to prevent repeat strokes in Africa
CiLostAzol for pReventIon of recurrent sTroke in Africa (CLARITY-Africa)
This project will test whether taking cilostazol twice daily alongside usual care reduces the chance of another stroke in people who have already had a stroke in sub‑Saharan Africa.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northern California Institute/res/edu NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162398 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you survived a stroke, researchers will invite eligible participants at clinics in sub‑Saharan Africa to join. Participants will be given cilostazol twice daily in addition to standard antiplatelet care or continue standard care, and will be followed with active visits to see if they have another stroke, heart event, or side effects. The team will monitor safety, bleeding risk, and longer‑term outcomes while building local research capacity and using a pragmatic (real‑world) approach. Results will show whether this low‑cost drug can safely lower repeat stroke rates in African settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults in sub‑Saharan Africa who are recent ischemic stroke survivors and are eligible for antiplatelet therapy would be the ideal candidates for this project.
Not a fit: People with hemorrhagic stroke, a known intolerance to cilostazol, high bleeding risk, or who do not live near participating sites would likely not benefit from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, cilostazol could meaningfully lower the chance of recurrent stroke and related cardiac events and provide an affordable prevention option in low‑resource African settings.
How similar studies have performed: Previous trials, mainly in Asian populations, showed that adding cilostazol to aspirin or clopidogrel cut major cardiovascular events roughly in half without more bleeding, but this approach has not been proven in African populations.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- Northern California Institute/res/edu — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ovbiagele, Bruce — Northern California Institute/res/edu
- Study coordinator: Ovbiagele, Bruce
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.