It used to be common that patients were given aspirin as a preventative measure. However, while it may help prevent heart attack and strokes in some people, it can lead to very serious side-effects such as internal bleeding.
In this week’s podcast, Peter and Stuart take a look at some of the studies that have been carried out into aspirin for primary prevention. They also discuss how clinicians, nurses and patients being better able to manage diabetes, lipids and blood pressure has led to much better outcomes for patients than daily aspirin use.
They also chat about a patient of Stuart’s who presented with a very large ascending aorta aneurism. He had a bicuspid aortic valve (an aortic valve that has two flaps (cusps) instead of three) and while he was relatively asymptomatic, it was discovered that he had severe aortic valve regurgitation.
Bicuspid valves are common and Peter and Stuart also discuss the 5 things to think about when it comes to treating patients with them.
You can listen to this episode here.
Show notes
The podcast about statins that Peter refers to can be found here.
You can download the US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement on Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease below.
And here is the echocardiogram from the patient with a bicuspid aortic valve:
Transthoracic echo of bicuspid AV
Ascending aorta
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