A racial gap in the heart attack benefits of aspirin?

By ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ News

Tetra Images, Getty Images
(Tetra Images, Getty Images)

Taking low doses of aspirin may not reduce the risk of having a deadly heart attack for African Americans, according to a new study.

Low-dose aspirin did, however, reduce risk among white participants, particularly women. Several factors could be at play, researchers say.

"We think the reason aspirin use did not have a beneficial effect for African Americans could involve a different genetic response to aspirin therapy and poor control of other risk factors," said Dr. Rodrigo Fernandez-Jimenez, lead author of the study. He is a cardiologist and researcher at Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares in Madrid.

African Americans also may have been less likely to continue taking aspirin regularly or may have been taking over-the-counter medications that interact with aspirin.

Most available data show African Americans have a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes compared to white people, Fernandez-Jimenez said. "However, previous studies didn't include enough black participants to determine if taking a low-dose aspirin for primary prevention of heart disease was useful for this group of people."

The results, published Wednesday in the , are based on data from the Southern Community Cohort Study, an ongoing initiative tracking the risk factors for cancer and other major diseases. The study looks at more than 65,000 mostly low-income men and women ages 40 to 79 who live in the southeastern United States. More than two-thirds of the participants are African American and about two-thirds were at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke at the start of the study.

After 11 years, low-dose aspirin did not appear to reduce the risk of a fatal heart attack among African Americans, even when researchers looked only at people at the highest risk of cardiovascular disease.

Guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ, which helped fund the new study, advise against daily aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease. However, it may be appropriate for some people at higher risk.

"The need to better understand the association between aspirin use, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status and how these factors play a role in cardiovascular disease are important in light of these findings," Fernandez-Jimenez said.

If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].


·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ News Stories

·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all views expressed in ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ News stories reflect the official position of the ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ. Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies published in ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ scientific journals or presented at ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ’s official guidance, policies or positions.

Copyright is owned or held by the ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt from or reprint these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ News.

Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ’s Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.

HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately.