Aspirin use for prevention of vascular complications in diabetes mellitus

Cardiovascular events represent the major cause of death in diabetes. In 2004 the American Diabetes Association has re‐issued recommendation that diabetic adults with an additional risk factor for cardiovascular disease should be treated with aspirin. Similar guidelines exist from the Joint British Societies. Previous studies have demonstrated a low prescribing rate of aspirin in those patients.

We aimed to assess the use of aspirin in our diabetes outpatient department and to identify methods with which to increase its use.

The notes of 100 patients attending the diabetes clinic were randomly selected on three occasions (six, 12 and 18 months). Information on risk factors and aspirin use was collected. Following the first review we raised awareness on this issue.

Our data demonstrate that physicians were aware of the need for secondary cardiovascular prevention in patients with diabetes. However, prescribing for primary prevention was low. After raising awareness through further education, aspirin prescribing increased. This improvement was sustained at 18 months.

Simple education measures within a local team as part of an audit cycle, have led to a significant improvement in numbers of aspirin prescriptions. This should, especially in view of the recently published meta‐analysis on trials of antiplatelet therapy, translate into a long‐term improvement in vascular outcome in this patient group. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.