Missing out on aspirin therapy?
Aspirin or another type of antiplatelet medication is usually prescribed after a heart attack or a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD). But a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that fewer than half of the people with CVD in the United States are prescribed antiplatelet therapy. Even when it's prescribed, that doesn't mean patients are taking it as directed. "It can have side effects, like stomach upset or nosebleeds. These side effects can lead people to stop taking it without telling the doctor," says Dr. Deepak Bhatt, a cardiologist with Brigham & Women's Hospital. "Also, many of the patients prescribed aspirin start to feel well once they've recovered after a heart attack, and mistakenly conclude they don't need to take aspirin."
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