Pharmacoepidemiology
Low-Dose Aspirin Use in Primary Care Pharmacotherapeutic Risk Profiles and Factors Associated with Deprescribing
By Zejdush Tahiri, Flakron Alidema and Fitim Bexhet Alidema.
Abstract
Background
The changing benefit–risk profile of low-dose aspirin, particularly in primary cardiovascular prevention, requires periodic reassessment of long-term therapy in primary care. This study evaluated real-world aspirin pharmacotherapy, potentially inappropriate use, pharmacotherapeutic risk, and factors associated with deprescribing.
Methods
This retrospective observational study included 4668 patients receiving aspirin 100 mg in primary care from January 2020 to August 2026. Clinical characteristics, prevention strategy, treatment initiation, concomitant pharmacotherapy, bleeding-related risk factors, documented adverse events during aspirin therapy, and therapeutic decisions were evaluated. Potentially inappropriate aspirin use was characterized descriptively according to documented clinical and pharmacotherapeutic information, while multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with documented aspirin discontinuation (deprescribing).