Medical Practice
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Acetyl Salicyclic Acid in the Secondary Prevention of Mortality from Myocardial Infarction
Br Med J 1974; 1 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.5905.436 (Published 09 March 1974) Cite this as: Br Med J 1974;1:436
- P. C. Elwood,
- A. L. Cochrane,
- M. L. Burr,
- P. M. Sweetnam,
- G. Williams,
- E. Welsby,
- S. J. Hughes,
- R. Renton
Abstract
The results of a randomized controlled trial of a single daily dose of acetyl salicylic acid (aspirin) in the prevention of reinfarction in 1,239 men who had had a recent myocardial infarct were statistically inconclusive. Nevertheless, they showed a reduction in total mortality of 12% at six months and 25% at twelve months after admission to the trial. Further trials are urgently required to establish whether or not this effect is real.