Let’s start with a November 2021 study (1). In this paper researchers examined the role of aspirin in causing heart failure. This is what they wrote:
“Recent trials evaluating the effect of aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease showed little or no benefit. However, the role of aspirin on the risk of incident heart failure remains elusive. This study aimed to evaluate the role of aspirin use on heart failure incidence in primary and secondary prevention and whether aspirin use increases the risk of incident heart failure in patients at risk.”
What is being said here is that there may be evidence that not only does aspirin not provide protection for some patients with cardiovascular disease or risk, but that the aspirin may in fact encourage heart failure. An “incident” heart failure is you had an incident such as a heart attack or other cardiovascular event that required medical care. Some incident heart failures are fatal.
Analyzing the study:
The researchers of this study examined 30,827 patients at risk for heart failure. Cardiovascular risk factors and aspirin use were recorded at baseline, and patients were followed up for the first incident of fatal or non-fatal heart failure. Over an average 5.3 years duration, 1330 patients experienced heart failure. One in 23 patients or just under 4%
The researchers concluded: “In patients, at risk, aspirin use was associated with incident heart failure, independent of other risk factors. (The aspirin was a direct cause of the heart failure) In the absence of conclusive trial evidence, our observations suggest that aspirins should be prescribed with caution in patients at risk of heart failure or having heart failure. (The researchers are suggesting the connection but ask that further studies embark on verifying this out).
In our article UPDATE: Daily Low Dose Aspirin Therapy for Heart Health: New Recommendations to Limit Use we discussed new findings that suggest people ages 40 to 59 who are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and do not have a history of cardiovascular disease should decide with their clinician whether to start taking aspirin as it may do more harm than good. Further, People age 60 or older should not start taking aspirin for heart disease and stroke prevention.
In the research above, doctors linked aspirin use to incident heart failure, i.ie, a heart attack, possibly fatal attacks. This is still a controversial subject and not a new one at that. A 2018 study (2) found aspirin use was associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction and an increased risk of heart failure readmission. But not with other aspects of cardiovascular disease.
Aspiring compared to other heart medications.
A January 2021 study also did not find increased risk of using aspiring when compared to other heart medications. Writing in the Journal of clinical medicine research (3) the study authors wrote. “There is no clear consensus on the use of aspirin in patients with congestive heart failure due to its reported interaction with other cardio-prudent medications. . .(However) all-cause mortality was found to be significantly lower in patients who were taking aspirin. When examining the use of aspirin, no significant difference was found in the frequency of hospitalization for heart failure. Aspirin use was demonstrated to be more beneficial against mortality in studies with a larger percentage of patients on nitrates and oral anticoagulants. A significantly lower rate of hospitalization for heart failure was observed in patients who used oral anticoagulants and aspirin concurrently.
Our approach to treating heart disease at the Magaziner Center for Wellness
Our approach to treating heart disease at the Magaziner Center for Wellness, is to create an individualized treatment plan for each patient with heart disease; based on natural and holistic therapies. We make use of chelation therapy, various nutraceuticals to improve heart function, an anti-inflammatory based-diet and lifestyle changes, stress-reduction techniques and controlled exercise, with the objective of restoring the cardiac function to as normal a state as possible. We are able to perform detailed and thorough blood test to identify the inflammatory markers that may be driving your heart disease. Furthermore, we are able to identity some of the advanced risk factors one may have at an early stage, prior to actually developing heart disease so we can intervene at an early stage. This is essential since most patients do not have any symptoms of heart disease and at least half with heart disease may have a normal cholesterol level.
If you would like to explore our treatments, please contact our office so we can start a conversation with you.
References
1 Mujaj B, Zhang ZY, Yang WY, Thijs L, Wei FF, Verhamme P, Delles C, Butler J, Sever P, Latini R, Gf Cleland J, Zannad F, Staessen JA; Heart Omics in Ageing Investigators. Aspirin use is associated with increased risk for incident heart failure: a patient-level pooled analysis. ESC Heart Fail. 2021 Nov 22. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.13688. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34808706.
2 Madelaire C, Gislason G, Kristensen SL, Fosbøl EL, Bjerre J, D’Souza M, Gustafsson F, Kober L, Torp-Pedersen C, Schou M. Low-dose aspirin in heart failure not complicated by atrial fibrillation: a nationwide propensity-matched study. JACC: Heart Failure. 2018 Feb;6(2):156-67.
3 Jiwani S, Mustafa U, Desai S, Dominic P. Survival Benefit of Aspirin in Patients With Congestive Heart Failure: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research. 2021 Jan;13(1):38.
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