Research & Development In Brief
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Benefit of aspirin in diabetics unproven: The benefit of aspirin in diabetic subjects with no cardiovascular disease remains unproven, according to a meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal. The research, led by Giorgia De Berardis, Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Epidemiology, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, Italy, evaluated six randomized controlled trials. It found no statistically significant reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events when aspirin was compared with placebo. Future studies should evaluate gender and toxicity, the researchers say. The findings contrast with prevailing beliefs based on trials in populations at higher risk of cardiac events, they add. "We cannot recommend using aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular events in all patients with diabetes without additional evidence.