Aspirin is commonly used to reduce minor aches, pains, and fevers, as well as an anti-inflammatory or a blood thinner. People can buy this drug over the counter without a prescription. But experts from the University of Freiburg, Germany have raised cautions on use of aspirin in individuals with a least one risk factor for heart failure.
In a study, aspirin use was found to be associated with a 26 per cent increased risk of heart failure in people with at least one predisposing factor for the condition. Risk factors for heart failure included smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The study results were published recently in ESC Heart Failure, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
The findings indicate that among individuals with a least one risk factor for heart failure, those taking aspirin were more likely to develop the condition than those not using the medication, stated study author Dr. Blerim Mujaj of the University of Freiburg, Germany.
However, the researcher noted that the potential link between aspirin and heart failure needs to be clarified.
This relationship is controversial. To evaluate the link, the researchers enrolled 30,827 individuals (aged 40 years and above) who were at risk for developing heart failure and followed them for more than 5 years. "At risk" was defined as having one or more heart failure risk factors: smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The participants were free of heart failure at baseline.
During the study period (5.3 years), 1,330 participants developed heart failure. After matching aspirin users and non-users, taking aspirin was found to be associated with a 26% raised risk of a new heart failure diagnosis, independent of other risk factors.
When patients with a history of cardiovascular disease was excluded, aspirin use was associated with a 27% increased risk of incident heart failure in participants without heart disease.
According to Dr. Mujaj, it is the first large study to report the relationship between aspirin use and incident heart failure in individuals with at least one risk factor.
While he stressed the need for large multinational randomised trials are to verify these results, he advised doctors to be cautious in prescribing aspirin to those with heart failure or with risk factors for the condition.
