What is the recommendation for the use of aspirin in primary prevention?
In primary prevention, aspirin use is more controversial. Because persons without prior ASCVD are inherently less likely to have future ASCVD events than are those with a prior history, it is more challenging for clinicians and patients to balance benefits and harms of prophylactic aspirin for primary prevention. This uncertainty is reflected in international guidelines, where, for example, aspirin is not recommended in European guidelines for primary ASCVD preventionS4.6-13 but is recommended in prior US guidelines for selected primary prevention for adults who have elevated risk of ASCVD based on traditional risk factors.S4.6-14,S4.6-15