For Debate: Preventing atherosclerotic events with aspirin

doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7329.103

BMJ 2002;324:103-105 ( 12 January )

Education and debate

For Debate

Preventing atherosclerotic events with aspirin

Editorial by Fitzgerald Papers p 71

John G F Cleland, professor.

Department of Cardiology, Castle Hill Hospital, University of Hull, Kingston upon Hull HU16 5JQ

J.G.Cleland@medschool.hull.ac.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

On p 71 we publish the latest in a series of meta-analyses from the Antithrombotic Trialists' Collaboration. Here John Clelandargues that, despite the vast size of these meta-analyses, theevidence in support of aspirin preventing atherosclerotic eventsis still inconclusive. One adverse effect of the belief that aspirinis more effective than it is, he argues, is the neglect of moreeffective drugs for preventing heart disease andstroke.

The third meta-analysis from the Antithrombotic Trialists' Collaboration, published in this issue, contains data on over 100000 patients at high risk of atherosclerotic events, representingmore than 250 000 patient years of follow up.¹ This meta-analysisand its predecessors form the major argument for the current widespreadfashion of prescribing aspirin to such patients. ² ³ It isan enormous body of research and the collaboration is to be congratulatedfor having gathered so much data. However, quality as well asquantity . . . [Full text of this article]

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