[Acetylsalicylic acid after myocardial infarct]

There is no doubt about the positive influence of acetylsalicylic acid on vascular disease. The antithrombotic therapy with acetylsalicylic acid is a fundamental of secondary prevention of vascular events, especially in nonfatal myocardial infarction, instable angina pectoris, stroke and in patients with amaurosis fugax. Clinical studies done since 1990 about the effect of a low-dose therapy confirmed the experimental results, which showed that 25-50 mg acetylsalicylic acid per day are enough, to suppress platelet function as far as necessary, without influencing the protective function of prostacyclin synthesis. Side-effects can be reduced to a minimum with a reduced dosage. The wide-spread use of a low-dose acetylsalicylic acid therapy in primary prevention especially in patients at high risk has to be reevaluated in further studies.