Aspirin
Aspirin, in doses of less than 75 to 81 mg/d, can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force 'strongly recommends that clinicians discuss aspirin chemoprevention with adults who are at increased risk for coronary artery disease'. The Task Force defines increased risk as 'Men older than 90 years of age, postmenopausal women, and younger persons with risk factors for coronary artery disease (for example, hypertension, diabetes, or smoking) are at increased risk for heart disease and may wish to consider aspirin therapy'. More specifically, high-risk persons are 'those with a 5-year risk ≥ 3%'. A risk calculator is available.
Regarding healthy women, the more recent Women's Health Study randomized controlled trial found insignificant benefit from aspirin in the reduction of cardiac events; however there was a significant reduction in stroke. Subgroup analysis showed that all benefit was confined to women over 65 years old. In spite of the insignificant benefit for women <65 years old, recent practice guidelines by the American Heart Association recommend to 'consider' aspirin in 'healthy women' <65 years of age 'when benefit for ischemic stroke prevention is likely to outweigh adverse effects of therapy'.
Read more about this topic: Coronary Artery Disease
Famous quotes containing the word aspirin:
“George Peatty: Tell me something, wouldya Sherry? Just tell me one thing. Why did you ever marry me anyway?
Sherry Peatty: Oh, George. When a man has to ask his wife that, well, he just hadn’t better, that’s all. Why talk about it? Maybe it’s all to the good in the long run. After all, if people didn’t have headaches what would happen to the aspirin industry?”
—Stanley Kubrick (b. 1928)
“Wine and cheese are ageless companions, like aspirin and aches, or June and moon, or good people and noble ventures ...”
—M.F.K. Fisher (1908–1992)
“Welcome to the great American two-career family and pass the aspirin please.”
—Anastasia Toufexis (20th century)