Aspirin in the Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

In 2007–2008, antiplatelet medications were prescribed at only 46.9% of visits for patients with ischemic vascular disease. The evidence of the benefit of aspirin with respect to cardiovascular outcomes underscores the substantial opportunity before clinicians and patients. Cardiovascular disease causes one of every three deaths in the United States and costs this country about $450 billion annually. 1 Each year, despite recent improvements in prevention and treatment, heart disease kills nearly 600,000 Americans, and stroke kills nearly 130,000. People with a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (e.g., myocardial infarction, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease) are at significantly elevated risk for a new or recurrent cardiovascular event and associated illness and death. It is estimated that more than 16 million U.S. adults are living with coronary heart disease, including prior myocardial infarction and angina, another 7 million have had . . .