Aspirin use is associated with an improved long-term survival in an unselected population presenting with unstable angina.

BACKGROUND

Few published data are available on the benefits of aspirin use in patients with unstable angina (UA).

HYPOTHESIS: Aspirin use carries a mortality benefit in a population-based cohort of patients presenting with UA.

METHODS

All residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota presenting to local emergency departments with acute chest pain from January 1985 through December 1992 having symptoms consistent with UA were identified through medical records. A total of 1628 patients were identified with UA and were stratified by aspirin use in-hospital and at discharge. Cardiovascular mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke were assessed over a median of 7.5 years follow-up and all-cause mortality data over a median of 16.7 years. The mean age of patients with UA was 65 years, and 60% were men.

RESULTS

After a median of 7.5 years follow-up, all-cause and cardiovascular-mortality rates were lower among patients prescribed versus not prescribed aspirin on discharge. There were 949 postdischarge deaths over the median follow-up of 16.7 years. After multivariable adjustment, aspirin use at discharge was associated with a lower long-term mortality (hazard ratio 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

Aspirin use at hospital discharge following UA is associated with a reduction in long-term mortality. This long-term study extends prior trial results from select populations to a population-based cohort.