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- $Unique_ID{BRK00050}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Aspirin and Heart Disease}
- $Subject{aspirin medication medications heart disease attacks Circulatory
- System aspirins diseases attack}
- $Volume{R-3}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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- Aspirin and Heart Disease
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- QUESTION: There are many stories in my newspaper that seem to say that
- aspirin may not be as good for heart attacks as you have written in your
- column. Where do you get your information about aspirin and heart disease?
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-
- ANSWER: I get my information about aspirin and heart disease from published
- reports of scientific studies in medical journals and not from the popular
- press.
- It's true that there are conflicting reports recently, but my opinion was
- based upon a well controlled, ongoing investigation.
- The largest study of aspirin and heart disease is the Physician's Health
- Study, which evaluated the effects of taking one regular strength aspirin
- every other day on the incidence of heart disease. The subjects in this study
- were 22,071 male physicians between the ages of 40 and 84. Half these men
- took aspirin and half took a placebo. During the first 57 months of the study
- (it will continue for several more years), 18 fatal and 171 nonfatal heart
- attacks took place in the placebo group while only 5 fatal and 99 nonfatal
- heart attacks occurred in the aspirin group. The aspirin group had a greater
- incidence of stroke, but this was greatly offset by the reduced incidence of
- heart disease.
- The report appeared in the January 28, 1988 issue of the New England
- Journal of Medicine, which is carried in many public libraries. You can look
- it up yourself if you wish.
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-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-