Aspirin overprescription in primary cardiovascular prevention

Aspirin overprescription is of some concern, especially in still-healthy individuals, and estimates of the magnitude of this problem are lacking. We evaluated the inappropriateness of aspirin prescription by primary care physicians in primary cardiovascular prevention.

Out of 20,599 patients screened by 16 primary care physicians in the Abruzzi region, central Italy, 400 patients were on treatment with aspirin for primary prevention. For each such patient, the absolute cardiovascular and coronary risks were assessed according to the Italian Cardiovascular Risk Chart for Primary Prevention and the European Society of Cardiology Coronary Risk Chart, respectively. Patients with a cardiovascular and/or coronary risk <1.0 event/100 patients/year were considered as treated inappropriately (aspirin overprescription), on the basis of previous literature.

Overall, as many as 12% and 18% of patients had a cardiovascular and/or coronary risk <1.0 event/100 patients/year according to the European and the Italian charts, respectively, and therefore were defined as treated inappropriately. Patients with and without inappropriate treatment were similar with respect to smoking habits, family history and body max index. However, inappropriately treated patients had significantly lower levels of blood pressure and total cholesterol, and were more likely to be female, younger and non-diabetic than patients appropriately treated.

A non-negligible proportion-up to 18%-of subjects in primary prevention is currently more likely to derive harm than benefit from inappropriate aspirin use. A wider use of Cardiovascular Risk Charts should guide primary care physicians in prescribing aspirin for primary prevention.