The Beneficial Effects of Aspirin in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Abstract

The spectrum of acute coronary syndromes including unstable angina, non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI), ST segment elevation MI, and sudden cardiac death account for more than two million hospitalizations and 30% of all deaths in the U.S. each year. Aspirin produces statistically significant and important reduction in cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality among survivors of a wide range of occlusive cardiovascular disease events. The majority of acute coronary syndromes are caused by atherosclerotic plague rupture, which platelets play a significant role in its pathophysiology, and aspirin is the most commonly used antiplatelet agent in terms of prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This report demonstrates the different mechanisms by which aspirin inhibits platelet function and aggregation at the site of endothelial injury, and the possible antioxidant properties of aspirin.