In 2002, the United States Preventive Services Task Force and the American Heart Association
recommended aspirin for the primary prevention of coronary heart disease in patients
with Framingham risk scores ≥6% and ≥10%, respectively. The regular use of aspirin
(≥3 days/week) was examined in a cohort of 6,452 White, Black, Hispanic, and Chinese
patients without cardiovascular disease in 2000 to 2002 and 5,181 patients from the
same cohort in 2005 to 2007. Framingham risk scores were stratified into low (<6%),
increased (6% to 9.9%), and high (≥10%) risk. In 2000 to 2002 prevalences of aspirin
use were 18% and 27% for those at increased and high risk, respectively. Whites (25%)
used aspirin more than Blacks (14%), Hispanics (12%), or Chinese (14%) in the increased-risk
group (p <0.001). Corresponding prevalences for the high-risk group were 38%, 25%,
17%, and 21%, respectively (p <0.001). In 2005 to 2007 prevalences of aspirin use
were 31% and 44% for those at increased and high risk, respectively. Whites (41%)
used aspirin more than Blacks (27%), Hispanics (24%), or Chinese (15%) in the increased-risk
group (p <0.001). Corresponding prevalences for the high-risk group were 53%, 43%,
38%, and 28%, respectively (p <0.001). Racial/ethnic differences persisted after adjustment
for age, gender, diabetes, income, and education. In conclusion, regular aspirin use
in adults at increased and high risk for coronary heart disease remains suboptimal.
Important racial/ethnic disparities exist for unclear reasons.
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Article Info
Publication History
Accepted:
August 21,
2010
Received in revised form:
August 21,
2010
Received:
May 28,
2010
Footnotes
This work was supported by Contracts N01-HC-95159 to N01-HC-95166 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute , Bethesda, Maryland.
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
