Kennedy, Lee, and Malabu, Usman (2008) Rapid response: Aspirin for primary prevention in diabetes. British Medical Journal, 337. p. 1840.

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Abstract

[Extract] The excellent study by Belch et al (BMJ 2008;337:a1840) suggests that aspirin is not universally indicated for primary prevention of vascular events in diabetic patients. Biologically, there is no difference in the action of antiplatelet drugs for primary or secondary prevention – the major difference is in the event rate and therefore the power of study needed to show benefit. Arguably, the patients in the study had atherosclerotic disease and were therefore secondary prevention patients. With baseline risk factors (smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol) as presented, many patients in this study would have been above the 1.5% per year risk threshold where benefit of aspirin outweighs risk. 1 The event rate documented was considerably short of that predicted, and this may have been due to increased use of statins and other cardioprotective drugs during the study – no data are given for this. Benefits of aspirin in high -risk patients are significant, 2 but less than those projected for statins.

Item ID:	23504
Item Type:	Article (Short Note)
ISSN:	1756-1833
Date Deposited:	03 Dec 2012 05:43
FoR Codes:	11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1103 Clinical Sciences > 110306 Endocrinology @ 100%
SEO Codes:	92 HEALTH > 9201 Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) > 920106 Endocrine Organs and Diseases (excl. Diabetes) @ 100%
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