One-in-10 patients receive inappropriate aspirin therapy for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease

NEW YORK — More than 1-in-10 patients within the National Cardiovascular Disease Registry’s Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence registry were receiving inappropriate aspirin therapy for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology by a team at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. 

 

According to the research, the risks of gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic strokes associated with aspirin use outweigh any potential protective benefit. According to the guidelines on primary prevention of CVD, aspirin use is considered appropriate only in patients with 10-year CVD risk of greater than 6%.

 

"Aspirin use is recommended for secondary prevention of patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease," commented Valentin Fuster, JACC editor-in-chief. "Additionally, aspirin is recommended for primary prevention in patients without cardiovascular disease who have moderate to high 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease," he said. "In those individuals in whom the 10-year cardiovascular disease risk was less than 6% ... aspirin should not be indicated."

 

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a public advisory against the general use of aspirin for primary prevention of heart attacks and strokes, researchers noted. "We have to be concerned with primary prevention but not necesarily by using aspirin indiscriminately," Fuster said. "Avoid the inappropriate use of aspirin, which in my view ... occurs in more than 12% of individuals in this country, if we look at those who seek medical consultation in order to prevent heart attacks and strokes."