Does Routine Low-Dose Aspirin Protect Against Venous Thromboembolism?

An analysis of Women’s Health Study data suggests no preventive effect in individuals who are not at high risk for VTE.

Short-term aspirin therapy can lower the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in high-risk patients. To test the efficacy of long-term aspirin therapy for preventing VTE in lower-risk individuals, investigators examined data on 39,876 participants in the Women’s Health Study who were randomly assigned to receive 100 mg of aspirin or placebo every other day.

The median duration of follow-up was 10.2 years. Overall, confirmed VTE developed in 482 women (incidence rate, 1.2 events per 1000 person-years); 100 had pulmonary embolism (PE), 306 had deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and 76 had both PE and DVT. The number of women who developed VTE was similar to the number who developed stroke (487) and was higher than the number who had MI (391). The …

Reviewing Author

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute