An Evaluation of Aspirin Treatment Preferences of Physicians in Hypertensive Patients in Terms of Current Guidelines: A Subgroup Analysis of the ASSOS Trial in Turkey

Abstract

Background: The Appropriateness of Aspirin Use in Medical Outpatients: A Multicenter,\rObservational Study trial has been the largest study ever conducted among patients in\rTurkey regarding aspirin treatment. In the subgroup analysis of the hypertensive group of\rthe Appropriateness of Aspirin Use in Medical Outpatients: A Multicenter, Observational\rStudy trial, we aimed to evaluate the physicians’ adherence to current guidelines regard-\ring their aspirin treatment preferences.\rMethods: The Appropriateness of Aspirin Use in Medical Outpatients: A Multicenter,\rObservational Study trial is a cross-sectional and multicenter study conducted among\r5007 consecutive patients aged ?18 years. The study population consisted of outpa-\rtients on aspirin treatment (80-300 mg). The patient data were obtained from 30 differ-\rent cardiology clinics of 14 cities from all over Turkey. In this subgroup analysis, patients\rwere divided into 2 groups: the hypertensive group (n = 3467, 69.3%) and the group with-\rout hypertension (n = 1540, 30.7%) according to the 2018 European Society of Cardiology/\rEuropean Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the Management of Arterial\rHypertension.\rResults: Aspirin use for primary prevention was higher in patients with hypertension com-\rpared to patients without hypertension [328 (21.3%); 1046 (30.2%); P < .001]. Treatment\rwith a dose of 150 mg aspirin (n = 172, 5%) was mostly preferred by internists for hyperten-\rsive patients (n =226, 6.5%); however, a daily dose of 80-100 mg aspirin therapy (n = 1457,\r94.6%) was mostly prescribed by cardiologists (n = 1347, 87.5%) for patients without\rhypertension.\rConclusion: Aspirin was found to be used commonly among patients with hyperten-\rsion for primary prevention despite the current European Society of Cardiology Arterial\rHypertension Guideline not recommending aspirin for primary prevention in patients\rwith hypertension.