Program Description
Despite advancements in acute care, stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability. In the United States, approximately 800,000 individuals experience a stroke annually, of which nearly 25% are recurrent events. Current guidelines emphasize the TOAST classification to drive therapy selection and emphasize short-term dual antiplatelet therapy to prevent recurrence, though this approach targets the body’s primary clotting pathways and can significantly increase the risk of major hemorrhage. Emerging Factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitors represent a novel approach that targets the amplification phase of the coagulation cascade. This session will review the mechanistic differences between these pathways, equipping pharmacists to better navigate the transition to dual-pathway inhibition. Expert faculty will highlight tools to apply stroke classification systems for precise therapy selection and development of pharmacist-led strategies such as medication therapy management and adherence counseling to support pharmacists as essential antithrombotic stewards in stroke prevention and management.
Target audience: Specialty Pharmacists, Health-System Pharmacists
Type of activity: Application
Release date: June 3, 2026
Expiration date: July 3, 2026
Time to complete activity: 1.0 hour
Learner level: Intermediate,
Advanced
Fee: Free
Educational Objectives
At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of ischemic stroke pathophysiology and TOAST classification to differentiate non-cardioembolic subtypes and select evidence-based antithrombotic strategies for secondary prevention.
- Explain the intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways and how Factor XIa contributes to thrombosis formation.
- Analyze recent efficacy and safety data to understand the role emerging Factor Xia inhibitors can play in clinical practice.
- Identify opportunities for pharmacists to support antithrombotic stewardship through medication therapy management (MTM), adherence monitoring, and counseling.