Daily aspirin is usually recommended for people at increased risk for heart disease, and people with diabetes come into that category. While the proportion of diabetic patients who take aspirin has increased in recent years in the US, new research indicates that some are still not doing so.

Women and adults younger than 50 years of age with diabetes are underusing this effective and inexpensive strategy to ward of a heart attack, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The findings are based on telephone surveys conducted in several states between 1997 and 2001. Data from more than 8000 people with diabetes were included in the analysis.

Aspirin use rose from 37.5 percent in 1997 to 48.7 percent in 2001, Dr. Stephen D. Persell and Dr. David W. Baker, from Northwestern University in Chicago, report.

In 2001, the use of aspirin among diabetics was high when they had actual cardiovascular disease, but low when they were still free of heart problems. Moreover, less than 40 percent of diabetics who were smokers or had high blood pressure or High cholesterol used aspirin.

Compared with men 65 years or older, women 35 to 49 years were much less likely to take aspirin. Women 50 to 64 years old and men 35 to 49 also tended to make less use of aspirin.

The team believes that doctors may play a key role in making people with diabetes aware of the importance of taking aspirin. They add that “interventions that aim to increase professional counseling about aspirin for women, as well as young and middle-aged adults, may be especially helpful.”

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, December 13/27, 2004.