An aspirin a day keeps the heart disease away

A study of almost 2500 patients prescribed either warfarin or aspirin for heart disease found that aspirin was as effective as warfarin in preventing stroke and major bleeding. Although each drug was found to have risks and side effects, they were both found to prevent heart failure in patients with irregular heartbeats.

The authors of the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, declared that “there is no compelling reason to use warfarin rather than aspirin…” due to the similarities in benefits between the two drugs and the convenience and low cost of aspirin. Although patients taking warfarin had a lower risk of stroke, they had a high risk of bleeds and the benefits were borderline in comparison to the risks of major haemorrhage.

The British Heart Foundation felt that the study showed that neither aspirin nor warfarin have a treatment advantage and indeed, Dr Andrew Clark from the British Society for Heart Failure felt that a gastrointestinal haemorrhage was of less importance than a stroke and would therefore be inclined to continue prescribing warfarin.

It appears that the results of the study may help to promote patient choice and that, alongside their doctors, patients will be able to choose the best treatment for their heart disease in accordance with the risks.

One of the most used medicines. Full medical glossary
An organ with the ability to make and secrete certain fluids. Full medical glossary
The internal or external loss of blood from a blood vessel. Full medical glossary
The death of a section of heart muscle caused by an interruption in its blood supply. Also called a myocardial infarction. Full medical glossary
Failure of the heart to pump adequately. Full medical glossary
relating to the intestines, the digestive tract between the stomach and the anus Full medical glossary
Any sudden neurological problem caused by a bleed or a clot in a blood vessel. Full medical glossary
An anti-coagulant drug used to treat and prevent abnormal blood clotting. Full medical glossary