Patients with minor ischemic stroke or a high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA) face a high risk of recurrent stroke or other vascular events.The risk is particularly high in the first few weeks after the index event.Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), comprising clopidogrel and aspirin, is an effective strategy for reducing recurrence.The benefits of DAPT have been confirmed in the Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) and the Platelet-Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and Minor Ischemic Stroke (POINT) trials [1, 2].More recently, results from the Acute Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack Treated with Ticagrelor and Aspirin for Prevention of Stroke and Death (THALES) trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine [3].Here, we briefly describe the history of antiplatelet therapy trials for ischemic stroke patients, summarize the THALES study, and explore future research directions (Fig.1).