High and low dose of aspirin can prevent heart attacks

A new study has found that aspirin, both in high and low doses, can prevent heart attacks.

Latest data from the World Health Organization reveals that 17 million people die every year from cardiovascular diseases. Almost all patients are prescribed a daily dose of aspirin and an antiplatelet medication during recovery.

"We observed no difference between patients taking a high dose versus a low of aspirin as it relates to cardiovascular death, heart attack, stroke or stent thrombosis," Payal Kohli, cardiology fellow at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and lead of the study has been quoted as saying. .

"Interestingly, we did find a dramatic difference in practice patterns of physicians in North America compared to those in the rest of the world," Kohli said as per a Brigham statement.

"North American physicians prescribed a high dose of aspirin for two-thirds of all their patients, while the exact reverse was true of the rest of the world," Kohli explained.

Stephen D. Wiviott, Brigham cardiologist and researcher and study co-author has said that international physicians prescribed a small dose of aspirin to more than two-thirds of their patients,

These findings are based on analysis of more than 1,100 patients from different parts of the world, enrolled in the TRITON-TIMI (Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction) 38 trial.

These findings were announced at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

--with inputs from IANS