For years, aspirin has been a classic treatment in cardiology consultations for heart attack prevention. However, new studies have questioned the widespread effectiveness of this habit, leading specialists, such as Dr. Aurelio Rojas, to establish stricter criteria on who can benefit.
The medication works by irreversibly inhibiting the COX-1 enzyme, preventing platelets from activating and sticking together. This mechanism is crucial for slowing the formation of clots that can block a heart artery when a plaque ruptures, triggering a heart attack.
“"The benefit is small, and the risk of bleeding may outweigh the advantage."
Dr. Rojas insists that aspirin is only indicated in two main groups. The first are people who have already suffered a heart attack or angina. The second group includes high-risk patients who have not yet had an event, such as long-term diabetics or those with kidney failure and additional risk factors like hypertension or obesity.
For the rest of the population without prior cardiovascular disease, routine use is not recommended. The main reason is that, by hindering platelet aggregation, aspirin increases the risk of hemorrhage. This bleeding risk, according to the new criteria, outweighs the small preventive benefit in low-risk patients.
