Does acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) have a role in the prevention of venous thromboembolism?
Guidelines differ on whether acetyl salicylic acid (ASA, aspirin) should be used for prophylaxis in patients at high-risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), principally because of differences in perceptions of its efficacy. ASA is an attractive therapeutic option because it is inexpensive, easy to administer and does not require monitoring. We critically reappraised the evidence from randomized controlled trials for the efficacy of ASA in VTE prevention. ASA is clearly efficacious in preventing VTE compared to placebo or no treatment, but appears to be less efficacious than the low molecular weight heparins in small trials. There is little data for ASA in comparison with unfractionated heparin and warfarin. A large randomized controlled trial is required to clarify the role of ASA compared to contemporary anticoagulant strategies for the prevention of VTE.
Department of Cardiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India. karthik2010@gmail.com
Ganesan
G
Karthikeyan
John W
JW
Eikelboom
Alexander G G
AG
Turpie
Jack
J
Hirsh
D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D020156:Salicylic Acid