Taking an apple a day is a proven fact, but people suffering from diabetes might also do well with taking Aspirin.
Scot Simpson, a researcher from the University of Alberta, has recently authored a new study focusing on the administration of Aspirin to prevent the onset of cardiovascular complications among people with diabetes.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that stems from the inability of the pancreas to produce enough insulin to regulate the body’s supply of glucose. When left untreated, diabetes can affect other body systems, rendering the patient victim to many of its fatal complications, such as stroke and heart attack.
To conduct the study, important data from several studies were gathered. By utilizing pertinent information from the records of diabetic patients, Simpson found out that those with a history of heart events who took a daily low dose of Aspirin had insignificant effects in preventing recurring attacks. For those who took a higher dose, however, the risk of a second heart attack was significantly reduced. Specifically, diabetic patients who were daily given with about 325mg of Aspirin had a 23 percent chance of mortality.
Simpson, who is also an associate professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, emphasized the fact that people with diabetes are at high risk of developing a myriad of other diseases, especially those concerning the heart. After all, they usually die not from the disease itself, but the complications that stem from it. Simpson’s hunch about the beneficial effects of Aspirin proved to be promising; this common medication can indeed help curb the cardiovascular risks of diabetes.
The study was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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