Learning Objectives and CME/Disclosure Information

This activity is intended for healthcare providers delivering care to women and their families.

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:

1. Discuss the 2019 ACC/AHA recommendations for the use of low-dose aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
2. State key risk factors for bleeding that should be assessed when considering the use of low-dose aspirin

Estimated time to complete activity: 0.25 hours

Faculty:

Susan J. Gross, MD, FRCSC, FACOG, FACMG President and CEO, The ObG Project

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) requires faculty, planners, and others in control of educational content to disclose all their financial relationships with ineligible companies. All identified conflicts of interest (COI) are thoroughly vetted and mitigated according to PIM policy. PIM is committed to providing its learners with high quality accredited continuing education activities and related materials that promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of an ineligible company.

The PIM planners and others have nothing to disclose. The OBG Project planners and others have nothing to disclose.

Faculty: Susan J. Gross, MD, receives consulting fees from Cradle Genomics, and has financial interest in The ObG Project, Inc.

Planners and Managers: The PIM planners and managers, Trace Hutchison, PharmD, Samantha Mattiucci, PharmD, CHCP, Judi Smelker-Mitchek, MBA, MSN, RN, and Jan Schultz, MSN, RN, CHCP have nothing to disclose.

Method of Participation and Request for Credit

Fees for participating and receiving CME credit for this activity are as posted on The ObG Project website. During the period from April 8 2019 through 07/15/2022, participants must read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures and study the educational activity.

If you wish to receive acknowledgment for completing this activity, please complete the test and evaluation. Upon registering and successfully completing the test with a score of 100% and the activity evaluation, your certificate will be made available immediately.

For Pharmacists: Upon successfully completing the test with a score of 100% and the activity evaluation form, transcript information will be sent to the NABP CPE Monitor Service within 4 weeks.

Joint Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and The ObG Project. Postgraduate Institute for Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physician Continuing Medical Education

Postgraduate Institute for Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Nursing Education

The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 0.2 contact hours.

Designated for 0.2 contact hours of pharmacotherapy credit for Advance Practice Registered Nurses.

Read Disclaimer & Fine Print

SUMMARY:

The ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease (2019) provides guidance regarding low-dose aspirin use. Low-dose aspirin (70 to 100 mg orally daily) still plays a role in prevention of ASCVD. However, the new recommendations advise against routine administration of aspirin to those >70 years of age. 

40 to 70 years of age

• Low-dose aspirin “might be considered” for primary ASCVD if individual is
  • At higher ASCVD risk and
  • Not at increased bleeding risk
• Class (strength) of recommendation
  • IIb: Weak (Benefit ≥ Risk)
• Level (Quality) of Evidence
  • A: High (High quality RCT based)
• Historically, studies demonstrated benefit at >10% estimated 10-year ASCVD risk but more recent studies are less conclusive and therefore
  • Specific risk cut-off not included in current guideline
  • Consider overall risk, including risk-enhancing factors
  • Base management on patient and clinician preferences
  • Some may opt to focus on modifiable risk factors
  • The guideline states

Recent trials show that absolute risk for ASCVD events typically exceeds that of bleeding and, although the gap of relative benefit to relative harm for aspirin has narrowed, the number needed to treat to prevent an ASCVD event remains lower than the number needed to harm to cause bleeding.

>70 years of age

• Low-dose aspirin “should not be administered on a routine basis” for primary ASCVD prevention
  • Risk of bleeding with potential harm greater than benefit
• Class (strength) of recommendation
  • III: Harm (Risk > Benefit)
• Level (Quality) of Evidence
  • B-R: (Randomized, Moderate quality)
• There may be clinical scenarios where low-dose aspirin ‘might’ be discussed, such as
  • Strong family history of premature MI
  • Inability to achieve lipid, BP or glucose targets
  • High coronary artery calcium score

<40 years of age

• Insufficient evidence to judge the risk–benefit ratio of routine aspirin for the primary prevention of ASCVD
  • As above for those >70, there may be clinical high ASCVD scenarios where clinicians ‘might’ discuss with their patients the use of low-dose aspirin

Note: Low-dose aspirin should not be used for primary ASCVD prevention when there is increased risk of bleeding, regardless of age

KEY POINTS:

Increased Bleeding Risk Factors

• Increased bleeding risk includes, but is not limited, to the following
  • History of previous GI bleeding or peptic ulcer disease or bleeding at other sites
  • Age >70 years
  • Thrombocytopenia
  • Coagulopathy
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Concurrent use of other medications that increase bleeding risk e.g.,
    • NSAID | Steroids | Direct oral anticoagulants | Warfarin

Risk Enhancers

• Family history of premature ASCVD
  • Males <55 years | Females <65 years
• Primary hypercholesterolemia
  • LDL-C 160 to 189 mg/dL (4.1 to 4.8 mmol/L)
  • Non-HDL-C 190 to 219 mg/dL (4.9 to 5.6 mmol/L)
• Chronic kidney disease
  • eGFR 15 to 59 ml/min per 1.73m2 with or without albuminuria
  • Not treated with dialysis or kidney transplantation
• Metabolic syndrome
• Conditions specific to women
  • Preeclampsia
  • Premature menopause (<40 years)
• Inflammatory disease, especially
  • Psoriasis
  • RA
  • HIV
• Ethnicity
  • Asian American | Hispanic/ Latino Americans / Blacks
  • There is heterogeneity in risk between and within racial and ethnic groups
  • Native American/ Alaskan populations have higher ASCVD rates compared to non-Hispanic whites
• Lipid/biomarkers
  • Persistently elevated triglycerides (≥175 mg/dL)
• Additional markers if measured
  • High sensitivity (hs)-CRP: ≥2.0 mg/L
  • Lp(a) levels: ≥50 mg/dL or ≥125 nmol/l
  • apoB: ≥130 mg/dL especially at higher levels of Lp(a)
  • Elevated apo B ≥130 mg/dL corresponds to an LDL-C >160 mg/dL and constitutes a risk enhancing factor
  • ABI (ankle-brachial index) <0.9

ACC/AHA Guidelines Differ from the USPSTF Recommendations

• The ACC/AHA guidelines differ from the USPSTF recommendations (see ‘Learn More – Primary Sources’ below)
• Key differences include

Ages 40 to 59 years and ≥10-year CVD Risk

• Decision to initiate low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD should be an individual one
  • Evidence indicates that the net benefit of aspirin use in this group is small
  • Persons who are not at increased risk for bleeding and are willing to take low-dose aspirin daily are more likely to benefit
• C recommendation
  • The USPSTF recommends selectively offering or providing this service to individual patients based on professional judgment and patient preferences
  • There is at least moderate certainty that the net benefit is small
  • Offer or provide this service for selected patients depending on individual circumstances

≥60 years

• D recommendation
  • The USPSTF recommends against initiating low-dose aspirin use for the primary prevention of CVD

Learn More – Primary Sources:

2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

JAMA Viewpoint: A Practical Approach to Low-Dose Aspirin for Primary Prevention

Hypertension: New heart-disease prevention guideline: What physicians must know (AMA)

Related ObG Topics:

USPSTF Recommendations: Role of Aspirin to Reduce CVD Risk

ACC/AHA Multisociety Guideline: Cholesterol Assessment and Primary ASCVD Prevention

ACOG Redefines the Postpartum Visit – The ‘Fourth Trimester’

ACC/AHA Blood Pressure Guideline: Current Classification System and Treatment Targets