homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Can aspirin reduce the risk of death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients?

Maybe... if we look at a new study.

Melvin Sanicas
November 11, 2020 @ 7:28 pm

share Share

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine showed COVID-19 patients who were taking a daily low-dose aspirin for cardiovascular disease had a significantly lower risk of complications and death compared to those who were not taking aspirin.

The researchers looked through the medical records of 412 COVID-19 patients, age 55 on average, who were hospitalized over the past few months due to complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. About a quarter of the patients were taking a daily low-dose aspirin (usually 81 milligrams) before they were admitted or right after admission to manage their cardiovascular disease.

The researchers found aspirin use was associated with a 44 percent reduction in the risk of being put on a mechanical ventilator, a 43 percent decrease in the risk of ICU admission, and — most important of all — a 47 percent decrease in the risk of dying in the hospital compared to those who were not taking aspirin. The patients in the aspirin group did not experience a significant increase in adverse events such as major bleeding while hospitalized. The study definitely showed an association or correlation but remember correlation does not mean causation.

Nevertheless, this is promising because if this finding is confirmed (through clinical trials with larger sample size), it would make aspirin the first widely available, over-the-counter medication to reduce mortality in COVID-19 patients. Aspirin is a very potent antiplatelet agent. As soon as aspirin interacts with a platelet, that platelet becomes inactivated and can no longer create clots.

British Heart Foundation | How does aspirin work?

In July a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reviewed the effect of anticoagulant drugs on outcomes among hospitalized Covid-19 patients. Like the recent aspirin study, the investigators found that anticoagulants significantly reduced the risk of death among certain groups of people with Covid-19. Although these studies are encouraging, we need to wait for further studies to be done. Aspirin came into being in the late 1890s in the form of acetylsalicylic acid when chemist Felix Hoffmann at Bayer in Germany used it for his father’s rheumatism but salicin, which comes from the bark of the willow plant has been widely used hundreds of years before that.

Now, aspirin Is not only used to reduce pain, fever, or inflammation but is also the cornerstone of therapy to prevent a heart attack or a stroke since 1970s but the drug is not without risks. The greatest risk associated with aspirin is gastrointestinal bleeding so people who have a history of peptic ulcers or bleeding from the stomach should not take it.

The good news is the United Kingdom’s Recovery Trial, a large randomized controlled clinical study of potential COVID-19 treatments, will investigate aspirin as a possible therapy. Why aspirin? Patients with COVID-19 are at higher risk of blood clots forming in their blood vessels. Platelets, small cell fragments in the blood that stop bleeding, seem to be hyperreactive in COVID-19 and may be involved in the clotting complications.

Aspirin is already widely used to prevent blood clots in many other conditions but enrolling patients in a randomized clinical trial is the best way to assess whether there are clear benefits for patients with COVID-19 and whether those benefits outweigh any potential side-effects such as the risk of bleeding. At least 2,000 patients are expected to get 150mg of aspirin daily along with the usual regimen. Hopefully, in a few months, we’ll know whether aspirin is indeed good for patients with COVID-19.

The Recovery trial was the first to show that dexamethasone, a steroid that is also cheap and widely available, could save the lives of people severely ill with Covid-19. It also showed that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine provided no benefit in treating COVID-19 patients.

share Share

A Soviet shuttle from the Space Race is about to fall uncontrollably from the sky

A ghost from time past is about to return to Earth. But it won't be smooth.

The world’s largest wildlife crossing is under construction in LA, and it’s no less than a miracle

But we need more of these massive wildlife crossings.

The Fat Around Your Thighs Might Be Affecting Your Mental Health

New research finds that where fat is stored—not just how much you have—might shape your mood.

New Quantum Navigation System Promises a Backup to GPS — and It’s 50 Times More Accurate

An Australian startup’s device uses Earth's magnetic field to navigate with quantum precision.

Japan Plans to Beam Solar Power from Space to Earth

The Sun never sets in space — and Japan has found a way to harness this unlimited energy.

Could This Saliva Test Catch Deadly Prostate Cancer Early?

Researchers say new genetic test detects aggressive cancers that PSA and MRIs often miss

This Tree Survives Lightning Strikes—and Uses Them to Kill Its Rivals

This rainforest giant thrives when its rivals burn

Engineers Made a Hologram You Can Actually Touch and It Feels Unreal

Users can grasp and manipulate 3D graphics in mid-air.

Musk's DOGE Fires Federal Office That Regulates Tesla's Self-Driving Cars

Mass firings hit regulators overseeing self-driving cars. How convenient.

A Rare 'Micromoon' Is Rising This Weekend and Most People Won’t Notice

Watch out for this weekend's full moon that's a little dimmer, a little smaller — and steeped in seasonal lore.