PAD patients that use aspirin reduce risk of stroke, study finds

CHICAGO In patients with peripheral artery disease, a blocked leg blood vessel, prophylactic use of aspirin either alone or in conjunction with dipyridamole did not reduce incidence of heart disease, but did reduce the risk of a nonfatal stroke, research published May 13 in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found.

The finding comes from a meta-analysis of studies around aspirin use with PAD.

Overall, studies found a 12% reduction in all cardiovascular events among patients receiving aspirin therapy, compared with those who were not. And while that reduction was considered statistically insignificant, the incidence of nonfatal stroke was 34% lower in the aspirin-taking group.