Any aspirin use linked to lower hazards of MI, ischemic stroke, with greater benefit in high-frequency use group
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Nov. 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For adults with type 2 diabetes, low-dose aspirin (ASA) use is associated with a lower risk for myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, with greater benefit seen with high-frequency use, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025, held from Nov. 7 to 10 in New Orleans.
Aleesha Kainat, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and colleagues examined the impact of ASA use and adherence frequency on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) outcomes among adult patients with diabetes with a moderate or high 10-year ASCVD risk score. Baseline characteristics were balanced between ASA users and nonusers in a propensity score-matched analysis.
Among 11,618 patients, 88.6 and 53.15 percent were ASA and statin users, respectively, at any point during 10-year follow-up. The researchers found that the cumulative incidence of MI, stroke, and 10-year all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the ASA group versus the no-ASA group (42.4 versus 61.2 percent, 14.5 versus 24.8 percent, and 33 versus 50.7 percent, respectively). Compared with no ASA use, any ASA use was associated with significantly lower hazards of MI and ischemic stroke, with greater benefit seen in the high-frequency use group (hazard ratios, 0.54 and 0.47, respectively). Consistent benefit was seen for ASA across glycemic strata, although the magnitude of benefit decreased with worse glycemic control. In better controlled groups, the reduction in mortality was also more pronounced.
“We were somewhat surprised by the magnitude of the findings,” Kainat said in a statement. “People with type 2 diabetes and a higher risk of CVD who reported taking low-dose aspirin were much less likely to have had a heart attack, stroke, or death over 10 years when compared to similar individuals who did not report taking low-dose aspirin. That benefit was greatest for those who took aspirin consistently, throughout most of the follow-up time.”
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