Results of a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland College of Medicine show that hospitalized coronavirus patients who took daily aspirin for cardiovascular health had a lower risk of death than those who did not take aspirin. According to Fox News, patients who took aspirin were also less likely to have complications, while the chances of them being admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) and needing ventilators also decreased.
For the study, the team looked at the medical records of about 412 patients who had been hospitalized with complications from COVID-19. The average age of the patients was 55 years, and the patients’ pre-existing conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, and others, in addition to age, gender, body mass index and race, were counted in the study.
Nearly a quarter of patients were taking low-dose aspirin daily before admission or starting medication shortly after admission to hospital.
After their analysis, the study authors concluded that those who took aspirin had a 44% lower chance of requesting ventilators, and a 43% lower risk of requesting admission to the ICU. Most importantly, the researchers said, those who took aspirin also had a 47% lower risk of dying in hospital compared to those who did not take the drug.
“Patients in the aspirin group did not experience a significant increase in adverse events such as heavy bleeding during hospitalization,” they added. (Researchers explain that daily use of low-dose aspirin, which is often recommended for those who have previously suffered a heart attack or stroke to prevent future blood clots, can increase the risk of severe bleeding or peptic ulcer disease.)
Researchers hypothesize that aspirin’s blood-thinning effects (drugs that prevent blood clots from occurring) may have played a role in the positive outcomes of hospitalized patients who take medication, as COVID-19 infection increases the risk of dangerous blood clots that can form in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. And other members. In rare cases, complications from blood clots can cause heart attacks, strokes, multiple organ failure, and death, they said.
“This is a crucial finding that needs confirmation through a randomized clinical trial,” said study lead Dr. Jonathan Chau, assistant professor of anesthesiology at the University of Maryland College of Medicine. “If our findings are confirmed, it would make aspirin the first widely available over-the-counter drug to reduce deaths among COVID-19 patients.”
The researchers also noted in the study that the results provide cautious optimism, but they cautioned that any patient with Covid-19 virus should speak with his doctor before taking aspirin daily, because those who suffer from chronic kidney disease or use other drugs such as blood thinners may not be able. To take medication.
While confirmatory studies are needed to demonstrate that using aspirin leads to better outcomes in COVID-19, the evidence to date suggests that patients may want to discuss with their doctor whether it is safe for them to take aspirin to control the prevention of potentially serious complications.
