Recent trends in the prevalence of low-dose aspirin use for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in the United States, 2012-2015

- Over 30% of adults aged ≥ 40 years take aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease.
- Aspirin use for primary CVD prevention increased among non-Hispanic blacks.
- Overall prevalence of aspirin for both primary and secondary CVD prevention declined

Aspirin therapy has been shown to be an effective prevention measure to reduce the risk of new or recurring cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to provide an epidemiological analysis of low-dose aspirin use for primary and secondary CVD prevention from 2012 to 2015. Estimates of self-reported low-dose aspirin use for primary and secondary CVD prevention were obtained from the National Health Interview Survey for the years 2012-2015. Temporal changes in the prevalence of aspirin use for primary and secondary CVD prevention were assessed using logistic regression. During 2012-2015, 23.3% of respondents self-reported as taking aspirin for primary CVD prevention, decreasing from 23.7% in 2012 to 21.8% in 2015. Also during this period, 8.4% self-reported as taking aspirin for secondary CVD prevention, decreasing from 8.9% in 2012 to 8.2% in 2015. Overall, the prevalence of aspirin use for CVD prevention declined from 32.6% in 2012 to 30.0% in 2015. This study shows that over 30% of the adult population self-reports as taking low-dose aspirin for primary or secondary CVD prevention. Despite the decline in this prevalence over the previous four years, aspirin therapy remains a highly-utilized means of preventing CVD.