Long-term aspirin therapy could cut the risk of blood clots recurring by 42 per cent, a clinical study has found.

Patients who suffered a venous thromboembolism (VTE) were less likely to face a repeat attack if they took daily aspirin after stopping their anticoagulation treatment, found research published in the American Heart Association's Circulation Journal on Monday (August 25).

Taking 100mg of aspirin daily for at least two years was also linked to fewer major vascular events, found the study of 1,224 patients who had completed treatment with an anticoagulant for six to 12 months.

Aspirin use should therefore be considered among patients who have finished treatment with a vitamin K antagonist or a newer anticoagulant, recommended the research, which combined results from two clinical trials.

If a million people who had unprovoked VTEs were treated with aspirin each year, up to 100,000 events may be prevented, said the research team from Australia, Italy and Canada.

There was strong evidence to suggest that treatment with aspirin was safe and effective, and there was also less need for monitoring and risk of bleeding than with anticoagulants, they said.

They noted that the beneficial effects of aspirin were particularly apparent among men and older patients.

The researchers stressed that the results did not apply to all patients who had suffered a VTE as the study did not include patients with coronary heart disease. The limited follow-up period meant they were also unable to assess the longer-term effects of aspirin on VTE patients.


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Aspirin could cut blood clot recurrence, says study

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