Low-Dose Aspirin After Lower GI Bleed: More Bleeds but Better Survival

In addition to increasing the risk for upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract complications, aspirin, even at low doses, increases the risk for lower GI bleeding. In the current study, investigators examined the risks for recurrent bleeding and cardiovascular events retrospectively in users and nonusers of low-dose aspirin among 295 patients with a prior lower GI bleed.

Patients experienced initial bleeds between 2000 and 2007 and were followed up for 5 years. Non-aspirin users were defined as those using low-dose aspirin for less than 20% of the follow-up (121 patients), and users were those taking low-dose aspirin for more than 50% of follow-up (174 patients).

Compared with low-dose aspirin users, nonusers were 3 years older on average and had m…