The word is spreading: Taking aspirin regularly can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients at risk. But according to results of a new study, even with the publicity about the benefits of aspirin, only about 25% of patients who could benefit from aspirin therapy are taking it.

Aspirin use has gone up dramatically since 1980. But the low percentage of patients reported receiving it suggests that a substantial number of patients with heart disease are at higher risk of developing further problems because they are not taking aspirin. The use of aspirin in patients with heart disease is not uniform. Men are more likely than women to be taking aspirin, and that patients over the age of 80 were less likely to be taking aspirin compared to younger patients.

Given that aspirin is a relatively low-cost and readily available over-the-counter medication, the finding of low use in patients with coronary artery disease raises concerns that prevention issues are not adequately addressed by physicians. Heart specialists are the most likely to prescribe regular aspirin -- cardiologists were more likely than primary care physicians to report that their patients were on aspirin."

Numerous studies over the years have documented the benefits of aspirin therapy in preventing some of the complications of heart disease, such as second heart attack. This benefit of aspirin comes from its ability to prevent clot formation, particularly in the important coronary arteries that supply the heart. When any of these vessels become blocked by a clot, heart attack and serious damage to the heart muscle may result.

Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association March 2000;101