PHRI scientists Shamir Mehta and Mike Sharma are among the coauthors of the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations, seventh edition: acetylsalicylic acid for prevention of vascular events, just published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
Key points in the guidelines include:
- Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is still strongly indicated for secondary prevention in patients who have had manifest cardiovascular, cerebrovascular or peripheral artery disease.
- Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is no longer recommended for primary prevention in individuals without a history of symptomatic cardiovascular disease, stroke or peripheral artery disease; the harms of daily ASA use could potentially outweigh the benefits.
These revised recommendations present an opportunity for increased focus on primary prevention through healthy lifestyle choices, lifestyle modification and management of vascular risk factors.
