Aspirin dosing frequency in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events

Abstract

Aspirin has been a cornerstone of cardiovascular disease prevention since the late 1980s. Despite the popularity of aspirin and its wide use, the proper dosing and frequency of aspirin has yet to be determined. Early aspirin trials focused on its utility in broad target populations, but this strategy did not magnify the benefit of aspirin, and rather increased the complication rate. We have learned from previous studies that laboratory and clinical response to aspirin therapy in patients with different conditions and settings are diverse. This difference in aspirin response necessitates a personalized, tailored aspirin therapy. We aim to perform a comprehensive review of the current evidence surrounding aspirin responsiveness in several distinct patient populations and the rationale of different aspirin frequency and dosing strategies. Our conclusions call for future studies to determine individualized aspirin strategies to maximize the benefit and minimize the risk of aspirin.

Keywords: Aspirin; Aspirin dosing and frequency; Cardiovascular prevention; Coronary artery disease; Coronary heart disease prevention.