Expert Perspectives on the Clinical Use of Piracetam and Citicoline in Stroke and Piracetam Monotherapy in Treating Vertigo

Objective: To gather clinicians' perspectives on the clinical use of piracetam and citicoline in stroke and piracetam monotherapy in treating vertigo in Indian settings. Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted among clinicians across Indian settings and focused on theclinical practices, preferences, and experiences on the combination of citicoline and piracetam for stroke, and piracetam alone for vertigo.Participants independently completed the 24-item questionnaire after providing informed consent.Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, with categorical variables presented as percentages and visualized through pie and bar charts in Excel. Result:The study involving 490 participants identified hypertension as the most common risk factor for stroke in young Indian patients (58%).Half of the respondents reported reduced quality of life poststroke, while 76% supported piracetam and citicoline as effective neuroprotective agents.Citicoline's role in restoring mitochondrial ATPase and membrane Na+/K+ ATPase was emphasized by 48% of experts.Most participants reported common dosages of 800 mg piracetam and 500 mg citicoline (87.55%), with a typical treatment duration of 1-3 months (65%).Tablets were the preferred formulation (93.47%), and 62% highlighted the combination's role in improving cognitive decline, membrane fluidity, and aphasia recovery. Conclusion:The study emphasizes the prominence of hypertension as a major risk factor and the widespread use of piracetam and citicoline as neuroprotective agents.The combination therapy is notably linked to improved cognitive function, aphasia recovery, and neuronal membrane restoration.The preference for oral tablet formulations and a treatment duration of 1-3 months reflects current clinical practices in Indian settings.