Aspirin resistance: fact or fiction?

Arq Bras Cardiol. 2010 Sep;95(3):e91-4. doi: 10.1590/s0066-782x2010001300024.

Abstract

A meta-analysis of clinical studies of patients with cardiovascular disease demonstrated that the use of aspirin was associated with a 22% decrease in death rates and relevant ischemic vascular events. However, clinical studies demonstrated that patients that regularly took aspirin presented recurrence of cardiovascular events. Such observation led to the question whether, in some patients, the aspirin was not effective in blocking platelet aggregation and these patients were called unresponsive to aspirin or aspirin-resistant. The clinical aspirin resistance is characterized as the occurrence of cardiovascular events in patients during treatment with aspirin, whereas the laboratory resistance is defined as the persistence of platelet aggregation, documented by laboratory test, in patients regularly taking aspirin. Patients that are aspirin-resistant presented, according to laboratory tests, on average 3.8 times more cardiovascular events when compared to non-resistant ones.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aspirin / pharmacology*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / chemically induced
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology
  • Drug Resistance*
  • Humans
  • Platelet Aggregation / drug effects*
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Recurrence

Substances

  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Aspirin