TUESDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Among individuals at increased or high risk for coronary heart disease, fewer blacks, Hispanics, and Chinese adhere to a regular aspirin regimen than do whites, and regular aspirin use overall is relatively low, according to a study published in the January issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Daniel R. Sanchez, M.D., of the University of California in Los Angeles, and colleagues reviewed aspirin regimen data from 6,452 participants without cardiovascular disease from 2000 to 2002 and followed up with 5,181 participants from 2005 to 2007. Patients were ranked according to Framingham risk scores as having low, increased, or high risk for coronary heart disease.
Between 2000 and 2002, the prevalences of aspirin use among those at increased and high risk were 18 and 27 percent, respectively. In the increased risk group, an aspirin regimen was followed by 25 percent of whites, 14 percent of blacks, 12 percent of Hispanics, and 14 percent of Chinese. Corresponding prevalences in the high-risk group were 38, 25, 17, and 21 percent. Between 2005 and 2007, increased-risk participants on aspirin increased to 41 percent of whites, 27 percent of blacks, 24 percent of Hispanics, and 15 percent of Chinese. Corresponding prevalences in the high-risk group were 53, 43, 38, and 28 percent. Overall in this time period the prevalences were 31 and 44 percent for those at increased and high risk, respectively.
"Regular aspirin use in adults at increased and high risk for coronary heart disease remains suboptimal," the authors write.
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