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Benefits of Aspirin Observed in Both Men and Women
FAU professor was founding Principal Investigator of landmark studies in men and women

BOCA RATON, FL (January 6, 2005) - Aspirin has similar benefits in preventing heart attacks and strokes in men and women, according to Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., research professor of biomedical science in the Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and the Center of Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology. Dr. Hennekens's article appears in today's issue of Nature Clinical Practice: Cardiovascular Medicine.

The article was prepared in collaboration with Danielle Hollar, Ph.D., research assistant professor at FAU and Colin Baigent, M.D., of Oxford University. The researchers noted that among male and female survivors of occlusions of the heart, brain and leg arteries, aspirin decreases the risks of future heart attacks, strokes and deaths from cardiovascular causes to a similar extent. Additionally, in apparently healthy men, aspirin was found to reduce the risk of a first heart attack, in younger women aspirin reduced the risk of a first stroke and in older women aspirin decreased the risks of a first heart attack and a first stroke.

"Our analysis suggests that men and women alike can benefit from aspirin therapy, although these benefits may manifest themselves differently at different ages," said Hennekens. "More research is needed, especially among the apparently healthy elderly, to confirm these findings. In the meantime, for apparently healthy men and women, the guiding principle in deciding whether to use aspirin should be based on one's absolute risk of a first coronary event." The researchers also noted that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the American Heart Association recommend aspirin for individuals whose absolute 10-year risk of a first coronary event exceeds 6% and 10%, respectively.

"The decision about whether or not to take aspirin is one that should be made in consultation with a healthcare provider and should be considered in the context of managing other risk factors for cardiovascular disease," said Hennekens. "There is extensive evidence that daily aspirin doses from 75mg to 325mg are safe and effective for long-term treatment and prevention, but that the higher end of this dosing range is necessary as a first dose for those having a heart attack or an occlusive stroke."

FAU has received two research grants from Bayer HealthCare to test whether even higher doses of aspirin improve inflammation, functioning of the blood vessel wall and production of substances that slow progression of arterial narrowing in two diverse populations. The first group is survivors of a prior heart attacks, and the second group is apparently healthy individuals who are at high risk of heart attacks due to metabolic syndrome, a constellation of obesity, hypertension, abnormal lipids and elevated blood sugars. The doses of aspirin being tested range from 81mg to 1300mg daily. The results of these investigations, directed by Drs. Hennekens and Hollar, hope to uncover additional mechanisms by which aspirin exerts its cardioprotective effects.

Dr. Hennekens was the founding Principal Investigator of both the landmark Physician's Health Study, which was the first to demonstrate that aspirin reduces the risk of a first heart attack, and the Women's Health Study, which was the first to demonstrate that aspirin reduces the risk of a first stroke.

"We are extremely pleased to have a researcher with the stature and expertise of Charles Hennekens on our faculty," said Dr. Larry F. Lemanski, vice president for research at FAU. "The research he is doing in this and other areas will continue to have a major impact on the health of people around the world."

-FAU-