Aspirin: Latest research for the primary care physician

Aspirin can be used for the prevention and treatment of various conditions, including strokes, myocardial infarctions, other coronary conditions and rheumatologic diseases, and for pain relief, according to the FDA. Here, Healio.com/Family Medicine presents the latest research on this versatile medication.

Regular aspirin intake reduces risk for lethal prostate cancer

Men who took aspirin regularly demonstrated a reduced risk for lethal prostate cancer, according to retrospective study results presented at the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.

Among men diagnosed with prostate cancer during the study period, those who began to use aspirin regularly after diagnosis demonstrated a lower risk for prostate cancer mortality. Read more.

Aspirin lowers indices in liver fibrosis, may reduce CLD

In a cross-sectional analysis, researchers found aspirin use was associated with decreased indices for liver fibrosis, suggesting aspirin can reduce further liver injury and chronic liver disease.

Overall, the use of aspirin was associated with a lower composite liver fibrosis index calculated from Fibrosis-4 score, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) score, Forns score and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (95% CI, −0.42 to −0.06; P = .009). Read more.

Aspirin reduces the risk for DVT in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients

Current use of aspirin reduced the odds of deep venous thrombosis by more than 50% in a critically ill patient population who received mechanical ventilation, according to the results of a retrospective chart review presented at CHEST Annual Meeting 2015.

The researchers also found upper extremity DVT to be more common than lower extremity DVT — the opposite of what pulmonologists normally see, Muthiah Muthiah, MD, associate professor in the department of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at University of Tennessee Health Center, said after the presentation. Read more.

FDA approves extended-release aspirin for secondary prevention

New Haven Pharmaceuticals announced FDA approval of its extended-release aspirin capsules for the secondary prevention of stroke and acute cardiac events in high-risk patients. Read more.

Individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease often mistakenly categorized as allergic to aspirin

Individuals with a moderate-to-high risk for cardiovascular disease and a hypersensitive reaction to aspirin often are mistakenly categorized as allergic, according to data presented at the 2015 American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting.

The results showed that “patients are frequently managed by discontinuing aspirin or are switched to another agent” when data do not support doing so, the researchers wrote. Read more.