Despite updated guidelines advising against it, many seniors continue to use aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease. Studies show that adults over 60 are still taking aspirin without medical advice, emphasizing the need for better doctor-patient communication in this regard.
The findings emphasize that doctors should urgently ask about the use of aspirin.
Despite guidelines advising against it, many seniors continue to use aspirin for primary prevention. Cardiovascular diseaseEmphasizing the need for more physician involvement in medication management.
Despite guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, many older adults continue to use aspirin for primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, according to a study of nearly 150 million adults each year. The authors of the study emphasized the importance of asking doctors about aspirin use and evaluating its benefits and risks with elderly patients. These findings were published in Annals of internal medicine.
Cleveland Clinic researchers analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey sample of adults (2012-2019 and 2021) to identify trends in the prevalence of aspirin use for CVD prevention. Participants aged 40 years and older were asked to report aspirin use based on age group and CVD status based on self-reported history of stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, or angina.
Among the new guidelines, the use of aspirin has decreased
New evidence from 2018 to 2019 on aspirin use has prompted the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association to ban aspirin therapy for primary prevention in older adults.
Still, even after this decline, one-third of CVD-free adults age 60 or older were still using aspirin in 2021, and nearly 1 in 20 were using it without medical advice. A total of 25.6 million adults in the US reported using aspirin, and by 2021, 18.5 million adults age 60 and older used aspirin.
Reference: “Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease Among US Adults, 2012 to 2021” by Mohak Gupta, Snigda Gulati, Khram Nasir, and Ashish Saraju, 25 June 2024; Annals of internal medicine.
DOI: 10.7326/M24-0427