Table 1. Clinical indications for lipid-lowering, anticoagulant, and antihypertensive drugs.

Prevention Drug	Clinical Indications for Prevention Drug	Definition of Variables
Lipid-lowering drugs	CHD	Presence of clinical code recorded before stroke/TIA
	CKD	Presence of clinical code recorded before stroke/TIA
	PAD	Presence of clinical code recorded before stroke/TIA
	TIA	Presence of clinical code recorded before stroke
	Diabetes mellitus and age over 40 y	Presence of clinical code recorded before stroke/TIA; age at time of stroke/TIA
	Familial hypercholesterolaemia	Presence of clinical code recorded before stroke/TIA or total cholesterol ≥ 9 mmol/l (most recent value recorded before stroke/TIA)
	10-y CVD risk of ≥20%	Framingham CVD risk score*
Anticoagulant drugs	Atrial fibrillation and CHADS2 score ≥ 1	Presence of clinical code recorded before stroke/TI; CHADS2 score*
Antihypertensive drugs	Blood pressure ≥ 160/100 mm Hg	The mean of the three most recent systolic and diastolic blood pressure recordings within 3 y prior to stroke/TIA
	Blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mm Hg and CHD, CKD, PAD, TIA, diabetes and age > 40 y, or a 10-y CVD risk of ≥20%	The mean of the three most recent systolic and diastolic blood pressure recordings within 3 y prior to stroke/TIA; presence of clinical code recorded before stroke/TIA; Framingham CVD risk score*

*Calculated 1 d prior to the index date.

CHD, coronary heart disease; CKD, chronic kidney disease; CVD, cardiovascular disease; PAD, peripheral arterial disease; TIA, transient ischaemic attack.