Medically Advised Aspirin Use Lower in 2021 Than 2012 to 2017

MONDAY, June 24, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Medically advised aspirin use was lower in 2021 than in 2012 to 2017 among older adults, according to a research letter published online June 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Mohak Gupta, M.D., from the Cleveland Clinic, and colleagues characterized trends in prevalence of aspirin use for CVD prevention among U.S. adults aged 40 years or older using data from the National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult component (2012 to 2019 and 2021). Data were included for 186,425 participants, representing about 150 million adults annually.

The researchers found that 18.5 percent of adults aged 40 years or older reported aspirin use for primary prevention in 2021. Of those aged 60 years or older, 29.7 percent reported primary prevention use in 2021, with 5.2 percent using aspirin without medical advice. From 2012 to 2017, there was a minimal decline in aspirin use for primary prevention, but a larger decrease was seen after 2018, especially among those aged 60 years or older. Compared with 2012 to 2017, in 2021, medically advised aspirin use for primary prevention was lower (19.3 versus 27.6 to 31.2 percent among adults aged 60 to 69 years; 30.6 versus 38.35 to 41.6 percent among those aged 70 years or older).

“Our findings highlight the urgent need for physicians to inquire about aspirin use, including self-use, and engage in risk-benefit discussions to reduce inappropriate use for primary prevention in older adults,” the authors write.

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