Staying Healthy
Low-dose aspirin now the preferred agent to help prevent blood clots after knee replacement
In the journals
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
A 2024 observational study highlights why orthopedists more often prescribe low-dose aspirin rather than an anticoagulant drug for preventing blood clots after a total knee replacement. Blood clots can be a serious complication of orthopedic surgery. Without preventive treatment, clots can form in a leg, break away, and travel to the lungs, causing a potentially fatal blockage called pulmonary embolism (PE).
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About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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