Preventive aspirin use following updated guidelines

Researchers evaluated changes in the rates of aspirin use as primary prevention following 2019 guidelines.

The 2019 recommendations indicated that primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease through the use of aspirin may benefit patients at higher risk of the disease and those aged 70 years or younger who don’t have an increased risk of bleeding.

In a study published in JAMA, investigators used 2011 to 2023 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to analyze the use of aspirin among 18,294 participants.

The investigators found that aspirin use as primary prevention declined by over six percentage points following changes in guideline recommendations. Although older patients and those with a low ASCVD risk reduced their use of aspirin, use of the medication also dropped among patients with a higher risk of ASCVD — for whom preventive aspirin use may benefit. Further, many patients who may not benefit from aspirin continued to take the medication.

Read more: JAMA

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