title: Aspirin Use for the Primary Prevention of Myocardial Infarction Among Men in North Carolina, 2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends aspirin use for men aged 45 to 79, when the potential benefit of preventing myocardial infarctions outweighs the potential harm of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. We determined prevalence and predictors of aspirin use for primary prevention of myocardial infarction vis-à-vis risk among men aged 45 to 79 in North Carolina.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used data for men aged 45 to 79 without contraindications to aspirin use or a history of cardiovascular disease from the 2013 North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. Stratification by risk of myocardial infarction was based on history of diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and smoking. Analyses were performed in Stata version 13.0 (StataCorp LP); survey commands were used to account for complex sampling design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most respondents, 74.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 71.2%-77.0%), had at least one risk factor for myocardial infarction. Prevalence of aspirin use among respondents with risk factors was 44.8% (95% CI, 41.0-48.5) and was significantly higher than the prevalence among respondents without risk factors (prevalence ratio: 1.44 [95% CI, 1.17-1.78]). No significant linear dose (number of risk factors)-response (taking aspirin) relationship was found (P for trend = .25). Older age predicted (P = .03) aspirin use among respondents with at least one myocardial infarction risk factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most men aged 45 to 79 in North Carolina have at least one risk factor for myocardial infarction, but less than half use aspirin. Interventions aimed at boosting aspirin use are needed among at-risk men in North Carolina.
authors.affiliation: North Carolina Division of Public Health, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tchwenko
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3311 Toledo Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20782. Email: efleming@cdc.gov. Dr Fleming is also affiliated with the North Carolina Division of Public Health, Raleigh, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Geraldine S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Perry
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009657:North Carolina; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011322:Primary Prevention; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin