Aspirin Better Than Vitamin E For Reducing Cardio Risk

Aspirin Better Than Vitamin E For Reducing Cardio Risk
MILAN--A new study may have people at-risk for heart diseasequestioning the heart benefits of vitamin E supplementation. In the Jan. 13issue of The Lancet (357, 9250:89-95, 2001), researchers found that adaily dose of aspirin may decrease cardiovascular risk more so than a daily doseof vitamin E.
In a multi-year, randomized, 2x2 factorial study, 4,495 men and women wereprescribed either 100 mg/d of aspirin or no aspirin, or 300 mg/d of vitamin E orno vitamin E along with their drug treatments. Researchers used age,hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, obesity or a family history ofpremature myocardial infarction as measurements for cardiovascular risk; allpatients had to meet one or more of these criteria. Severe bleedings were morefrequent in the aspirin group than in the no-aspirin group or vitamin E groups;nonetheless, researchers found the number of people who experienced this adverseevent insignificant. The researchers found aspirin users less at-risk forcardiovascular events than vitamin E users based on study endpoints such ascardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and non-fatal stroke.
However, some researchers say this study may be like comparing apples andoranges. According to Daniel Steinberg, a professor of medicine at theUniversity of California in San Diego, it would be more apt to look at vitaminE's effects on the initiation and early progression of low-density lipoprotein (LDLor "bad" cholesterol) and atherosclerosis. In the December issue of CurrentOpinion in Lipidology (11, 6:603-7), Steinberg wrote that more human studiesneed to be conducted on vitamin E's role in atherosclerosis.
In fact, in The Lancet study, it was noted that the incidence ofperipheral-artery disease (which was not a study endpoint) was significantlylower among patients taking vitamin E than in the control groups.
Maria Carla Roncaglioni, the lead researcher from the Milan-based Istituto diRicerche Farmacologiche, and her colleagues concluded that whereas low-doseaspirin is an effective side treatment for people with a high risk forcardiovascular events, vitamin E's efficacy is still inconclusive. Foradditional information, visit www.thelancet.com.