Take Aspirin to Prevent PP HTN?

Dr. Chapa’s Clinical Pearls.

Low-dose aspirin (LDA), typically prescribed at a dosage of 81 mg daily, is primarily used during pregnancy to prevent or delay the onset of preeclampsia. However, the question of whether to continue LDA postpartum is less clear and requires careful consideration of the benefits and risks associated with its use in the postpartum period. After all, the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend that low-dose aspirin use (75 to 100 mg/d) might be considered for the primary prevention of atherosclerotic CVD among select adults ages 40 to 70 years at higher CVD risk but not at increased risk of bleeding. Meanwhile, the 2022 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation notes that the decision to initiate daily aspirin therapy for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) should be made on a case-by-case basis for adults ages 40 to 59 with a 10% or greater 10-year CVD risk. The recommendation applies to those without signs or symptoms of clinically evident CVD who are not at an increased risk of bleeding. So, does continuation of LDA after delivery reduce the persistence of, or development of, chronic hypertension. Is that evidence-based? The answer is both YES and NO. Listen in for details.