A new study has found that a heart drug commonly prescribed to prevent heart attacks and strokes is effective in middle-aged adults, but not in seniors.

What is the study about?

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, looked at the effectiveness of low-dose aspirin in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people aged 70 and over.

Aspirin, which is an antiplatelet drug, is often prescribed to prevent blood clots that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

The researchers analyzed data from over 19,000 participants in the ASCEND trial, which investigated the effectiveness of aspirin in preventing CVD and cancer.

They found that aspirin reduced major cardiovascular events by 12% in people aged 40 to 49, 9% in those aged 50 to 59, and 7% in those aged 60 to 69. However, there was no significant reduction in CVD in people aged 70 and over.

What are the implications of the study?

The findings suggest that aspirin may be less effective in preventing CVD in older adults, and that other treatments may be needed for this age group.

The study’s lead author, Professor Nicola Facciorusso, said, “The results of our study suggest that aspirin is most effective in primary prevention of CVD events in middle-aged adults, but not in older adults.”.

However, she cautioned that the study did not assess the risk of bleeding associated with aspirin use, and that doctors should weigh the risks and benefits of aspirin therapy on an individual basis.

Why is this important?

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally, and prevention is a key public health goal. Aspirin is commonly prescribed to prevent CVD in people at high risk, but the effectiveness of aspirin in older adults has been debated.

This study provides new insights into the use of aspirin for primary prevention of CVD in people aged 70 and over.

What are the limitations of the study?

The study has several limitations. Firstly, it only looked at low-dose aspirin and did not evaluate the effectiveness of higher doses. Secondly, it did not assess the safety of aspirin use, including the risk of bleeding.

Thirdly, the study population was mainly white and from high-income countries, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations.

What are the next steps?

Further research is needed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of aspirin in older adults, including the optimal dose and duration of therapy.

In the meantime, doctors should carefully consider the risks and benefits of aspirin therapy for their older patients.

Conclusion

The study provides new insights into the effectiveness of aspirin in preventing cardiovascular disease. While the drug appears to be effective in middle-aged adults, it may not be as effective in seniors.

Doctors should carefully consider the risks and benefits of aspirin therapy for older patients, and further research is needed to determine the optimal dose and duration of therapy.