Despite the updated guidelines advising against it, many older adults continue to use aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease. Research shows that a significant number of adults over 60 still take aspirin without medical advice, highlighting the need for better communication between physicians and patients on this topic.
The findings highlight the urgent need for physicians to ask questions about aspirin use.
Despite guidelines advising against it, many older adults continue to use aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseasewhich underscores the need for greater physician involvement in medication management.
A survey of about 150 million adults annually suggests that many older adults continue to use aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), despite guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association advising otherwise. The study authors emphasize the urgent need for physicians to ask about aspirin use and to assess its potential benefits and risks in older patients. The findings are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers from Cleveland Clinic examined data from the National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult component (2012-2019 and 2021) to characterize trends in the prevalence of aspirin use for CVD prevention. Participants aged 40 years or older were asked to report aspirin use and were stratified by age group and CVD status based on self-reported history of stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, or angina.
Decline in aspirin use amid new guidelines
The data shows that aspirin use declined between 2018 and 2019 after new evidence prompted the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association to recommend against aspirin therapy as primary prevention in older adults.
Still, nearly a third of adults aged 60 or older without CVD still used aspirin in 2021, even after this decline, and nearly 1 in 20 used it without medical advice. Overall, 25.6 million adults in the US reported aspirin use, with 18.5 million adults aged 60 or older using aspirin in 2021. The findings suggest a need to reduce inappropriate aspirin use among older adults.
Reference: “Aspirin Use Prevalence for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Among US Adults from 2012 to 2021” by Mohak Gupta, Snigdha Gulati, Khurram Nasir, and Ashish Sarraju, June 25, 2024, Annals of Internal Medicine.
DOI number: 10.7326/M24-0427