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. 2015 Dec 23;4(12):e002320.
doi: 10.1161/JAHA.115.002320.

Population Trends in Aspirin Use for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention 1980-2009: The Minnesota Heart Survey

Russell V Luepker  1 , Lyn M Steffen  2 , Sue Duval  3 , Nicole D Zantek  4 , Xia Zhou  2 , Alan T Hirsch  1
Affiliations

Population Trends in Aspirin Use for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention 1980-2009: The Minnesota Heart Survey

Russell V Luepker et al. J Am Heart Assoc. .

Abstract

Background: Daily low-dose aspirin is recommended for primary prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke in higher-risk patients. Population trends in aspirin use for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in an urban population (Minneapolis/St. Paul, 2010 population 2.85 million) from 1980 to 2009 were evaluated.

Methods and results: Surveys of randomly selected adults aged 25 to 74 years were collected at 5-year intervals. Self-reports of regular aspirin use for CVD prevention and history of CVD were obtained. Six cross-sectional surveys included 12 281 men and 14 258 women. Age-adjusted aspirin use for primary prevention increased during this period from 1% to 21% among men and 1% to 12% among women. Aspirin use was highest in those aged 65 to 74 years. For secondary prevention, age-adjusted aspirin use increased from 19% to 74% among men and 11% to 64% among women. While data are based on self-report, a substudy using a biochemical indicator of aspirin use (serum thromboxane B2) supports the validity of self-report.

Conclusions: Aspirin for CVD prevention is commonly used by a large and growing portion of the general population. It is not known if this is based on professional advice or self-prescribed use. It is also likely that many who would benefit do not use aspirin and others use aspirin inappropriately.

Keywords: aspirin; epidemiology; prevention.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Survey Questionnaire showing only questions related to this study. MHS indicates Minnesota Heart Survey.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Trends in aspirin use for preventing CVD in PP and SP, by sex. Values are mean±SE and are plotted at the beginning year of each survey. CVD indicates cardiovascular disease; PP, primary prevention; SP, secondary prevention.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Aspirin use and hospitalization for gastrointestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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