Is anti-platelet treatment indicated in primary prevention?

Česká verzia

Authors: J. Bultas; D. Karetová
Published in the journal: Kardiol Rev Int Med 2007, 9(4): 242-246
Category: Editorial

Summary

Thrombosis complications of atherosclerosis are the cause of a pandemic of different cardiovascular diseases in the industrialised world. Since the end of the 1980’s there has been a series of studies monitoring the effect of anti-platelet treatment using acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as part of primary prevention. Almost one hundred thousand probands have been included in these controlled studies. A composite analysis of the results shows that the treatment is effective in the prevention of acute myocardial infarction, finding a clinically and statistically significant reduction in incidence of around one-third. Undesirable effects accompanying the administration of ASA were bleeding, in particular significant bleeding into the digestive tract. This was recorded in 1–2% of those treated. Treatment with lower dosages of ASA should therefore be indicated in primary prevention only for those probands with a higher risk of coronary incident, i.e.

particularly for older men with an accumulation of at least 2 significant risk factors for atherogenesis.

Keywords:
atherothrombosis – primary prevention – acetylsalicylic acid – myocardial infarction

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