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Thromb Haemost 2022; 122(03): 445-455
DOI: 10.1055/a-1667-7427
Atherosclerosis and Ischaemic Disease

Efficacy and Safety of Aspirin for Primary Cardiovascular Risk Prevention in Younger and Older Age: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 173,810 Subjects from 21 Randomized Studies

Dario Calderone
1   Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico – San Marco” University of Catania, Catania, Italy
,
Antonio Greco
1   Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico – San Marco” University of Catania, Catania, Italy
,
Salvatore Ingala
1   Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico – San Marco” University of Catania, Catania, Italy
,
Federica Agnello
1   Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico – San Marco” University of Catania, Catania, Italy
,
Gabriele Franchina
1   Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico – San Marco” University of Catania, Catania, Italy
,
Lorenzo Scalia
1   Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico – San Marco” University of Catania, Catania, Italy
,
Sergio Buccheri
2   Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
3   Uppsala Clinical Research Center, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
,
Davide Capodanno
1   Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico – San Marco” University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Abstract

Aims The efficacy and safety of aspirin for primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of aspirin in subjects with no overt CVD, with a focus on age as a treatment modifier.

Methods and Results Randomized trials comparing aspirin use versus no aspirin use or placebo were included. The primary efficacy outcome was all-cause death. The primary safety outcome was major bleeding. Secondary ischemic and bleeding outcomes were explored. Subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate the consistency of the effect sizes in studies including younger and older individuals, using a cut-off of 65 years. A total of 21 randomized trials including 173,810 individuals at a mean follow-up of 5.3 years were included. Compared with control, aspirin did not reduce significantly the risk of all-cause death (risk ratio: 0.96; 95% confidence interval: 0.92–1.00, p = 0.057). Major adverse cardiovascular events were significantly reduced by 11%, paralleled by significant reductions in myocardial infarction and transient ischemic attack. Major bleeding, intracranial hemorrhage, and gastrointestinal bleeding were significantly increased by aspirin. There was a significant age interaction for death (p for interaction = 0.007), with aspirin showing a statistically significant 7% relative benefit on all-cause death in studies including younger patients.

Conclusion The use of aspirin in subjects with no overt CVD was associated with a neutral effect on all-cause death and a modest lower risk of major cardiovascular events at the price of an increased risk in major bleeding. The benefit of aspirin might be more pronounced in younger individuals.

Keywords

aspirin - primary prevention - meta-analysis

Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 16 July 2021

Accepted: 10 October 2021

Accepted Manuscript online:
12 October 2021

Article published online:
31 December 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

Comment to this article:

Aspirin for Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: Time to Stop?Thromb Haemost 2022; 122(03): 311-314
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1740639

 

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