Consecutive patients, meeting all inclusion criteria, and none of the exclusion criteria, will be asked if they want to participate in the trial. Patients will be included as soon as convenient and within 90 days after onset of an ischaemic stroke. There will be follow-up sessions at 3,6, 9, 12, 18, 24 months. The study is a randomised, single blind, parallel group, multicenter, international clinical trial.