Prevalence of Aspirin Use among Type ۲ Diabetic Patients in Iran

Abstract Objective: Patients with type ۲ diabetes mellitus (DM) have a markedly increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. There are some recommendations for prescription of aspirin in these patients. Our purpose was to determine aspirin usage rate in diabetic patients and to compare it in different ages and based upon cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Materials and Methods: In this study we collected data from ۱۲۵۶ self-reported diabetes mellitus patients referred to Yazd Diabetes Research Center during ۲۰۱۰-۲۰۱۱. This data included age, sex, history of diabetes mellitus, drug history, antiplatelet therapy duration, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, family history of premature CVD and albuminuria. Results: ۴۸.۵% of patients were male (۶۰۹ patients) and ۵۱.۵% were female (۶۴۷ patients). From female patients ≤۶۰ years old, ۵۲.۷% used antiplatelet drug however, this percent for patients over ۶۰ years was ۵۸.۹% and for male patients ≤۵۰ and >۵۰ was ۴۷.۷% and ۸۱%, respectively. From antiplatelet drug users, ۴۳.۱% of males aged ≤۵۰ and ۲۹.۲% of females aged ≤۶۰ years old had no or one risk factor that is unnecessary to take it. Conclusion: Physician must encourage diabetic patients to use aspirin when the potential benefit of a reduction in cardiovascular disease outweighs the potential harms. So, clinical judgment is required for prescription of aspirin in men aged ≤ ۵۰ years and women aged ≤ ۶۰ years without multiple risk factors.

Keywords:

Diabetes mellitus , aspirin , CVD primary prevention , ADA recommendation