Does low-dose ASA help prevent cardiovascular events in women?

Relevance to family physicians Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Canada. In men of all ages, 36% of deaths are attributable to CVD. In women, the percentage is slightly higher at 38%.1 Acetylsalicylic acid is widely prescribed for prevention and treatment of CVD and is one of the most widely used pharmacologic agents in the United States.2 Five large randomized controlled trials have evaluated the role of ASA in primary prevention of CVD. A meta-analysis of these trials showed that ASA could substantially reduce risk of coronary artery disease events (number needed to treat [NNT] 194).3 Direct evidence for use of ASA for primary prevention of CVD in women is limited, however, because only 20% of the patients studied in these trials were women.