10 Percent Of Heart Clinic Patients Misuse Aspirin

Statistics show that close to 10 percent of patients are abusing aspirin when it comes to primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. Findings published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology revealed that over 72 percent of patients had missed variables that should have been present when using aspirin as a CVD preventative. 

For the study researchers examined a sample of 254,339 patients who were looked at from 119 cardiology practices in the United States. The patients were all taking aspirin for CVD protection even though it wasn't necessary for all of them.

The study authors reiterated the importance of doctors calculating the underlying risks of taking aspirin for CVD protection, particularly if it is not completely necessary.

"The most important message is to recognize that there are people [who take] aspirin believing that they are protecting themselves from having heart attacks when they are actually exposing themselves to the [bleeding] risks of taking aspirin and likely having no benefit at all," said Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who was not involved with the study, via Medscape.

Furthermore, the researchers suggested that the American Heart Associated pooled-cohort calculator be used to help determine an individual's risk.

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