The 5p drug that could save you from death unveiled

Aspirin can prevent a second heart attack or stroke, but just over a third of survivors take it, according to a new study.

Taking this low-cost pill every day can cut your risk of another seizure by a quarter.

Yet, on average, only 39.3% of people worldwide take aspirin after a heart attack or stroke, even though cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.

It was as low as 16.6% in low-income countries, but rose to 65% in high-income countries such as the United States.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Michigan compiled the study. Published in JAMA.

Research in the 1970s and 80s showed that antiplatelet therapy could reduce recurrences of heart attacks and strokes, so daily aspirin has been recommended.

A myriad of factors contribute to heart attack and stroke risk, including smoking, diabetes, unhealthy diet, genetics, lack of exercise, obesity, and even air pollution.

Aspirin acts as an anticoagulant, preventing small blood cells called platelets from forming clots.

“People who have had a heart attack or stroke often face a higher risk of having a recurrence afterward,” said Sang Geun-Yu, Ph.D., of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine.

“In fact, many people die from recurrent attacks.

“Aspirin offers one effective and relatively low-cost option for reducing the likelihood of further events in people who already have cardiovascular disease. Most people who would benefit from do not take aspirin.”

The researchers don’t have a clear reason why so few people take it, but possible explanations include differences in general access to health care, inconsistent messages about the drug’s use, and He said it could be the fact that aspirin isn’t always available over the counter. Some countries require a prescription.

The researchers used data from nationally representative health surveys, including 10,590 of 125,505 people who self-reported a history of cardiovascular disease, conducted in 51 low-, middle-, and high-income countries. analyzed.

In low-income countries, only 16.6% of those eligible were taking aspirin to prevent secondary heart attacks and strokes.

In lower-middle-income countries, this figure was 24.5%, but increased to 51.1% in upper-middle-income countries and 65% in high-income countries.

An early study from a decade ago yielded nearly identical results.

“Though one might expect aspirin use to be more widespread in 10 years, the situation has not really changed,” Dr. Yoo said.

“This research deals with disease processes that affect many people, regardless of where they live. .

“Intervention requires an understanding of what’s really going on, and that’s what this study is trying to establish.

“Then we can start thinking about ways to develop evidence-based strategies to increase aspirin use to save lives.”

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