Fifteen studies, including two randomized trials, five cohort studies, and eight retrospective case-control studies, have investigated the association between aspirin use and mortality after myocardial infarction. All but one agree that there is an inverse association between aspirin use and mortality; aspirin reduced mortality by almost 50%. Aspirin reduces platelet aggregation and hence the risk of clot formation in coronary arteries. Can we infer that aspirin use is causally related to the reduced risk of death after myocardial infarction?

Views: 5,632 students