Re: aspirin as a preventative --- basic query

From: MB (mel_at_prodigy.invalid.net)
Date: 08/29/04 

Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 19:01:01 -0400

Griffin:

My bp is natural--- no medications.

I am a non-smoker.

I don't have the figures in front of me, but the LDL/HDL figures are not
really good as I recall.

In fact, we discussed whether or not I should be on cholest. lowering
medications. In my docs opinion, given all the info, we decided not to, but
it is definitely an option.

Mel

"Griffin" <nospam@here.net> wrote in message
news:2004082917343016807%nospam@herenet...
> On 2004-08-29 17:10:49 -0400, "MB" <mel@prodigy.invalid.net> said:
>
> > My doctor is starting to suggest that his
> > patients (in my type situation) take a baby aspirin per day (81 mg). Is
this
> > generally now recommended
>
> Yes, assuming that the risk/benefit ratio favors aspirin therapy (I'm
> assuming your doctor has gone through that exercise). I can't tell you,
> since you only provided a total cholesterol, and didn't mention your
> HDL, LDL, triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, waist circumference,
> smoking status, and whether or not your normal blood pressure is
> achieved with antihypertensive medications. Your HDL and LDL values in
> particular may in and of themselves determine whether or not daily
> aspirin therapy is a good idea at this point. As an example, using the
> total cholesterol values you gave, assuming your HDL is low-ish (35-39)
> and LDL is high (130-159), your 10-year coronary heart disease risk
> (based on ATP-III and the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) would be about
> 12%, making you a candidate for low-dose daily aspirin therapy
> (anything above about 10% tilts the risk-benefit ratio in favor of
> therapy). However, if your HDL is higher or your LDL lower, you may
> have a much lower 10-year risk, making aspirin therapy unnecessary
> (read: unhelpful and unnecesarily risky).
>
> > and also does it matter what brand or even what
> > type (eg: chewable).
>
> No, as long as the dose does not exceed 81mg daily. There is no
> additional benefit with higher doses, and the risk of bruising/bleeding
> will be greater.
>