Aspirin and secondary mortality after myocardial infarction.

A randomised controlled double-blind trial of aspirin in the prevention of death was conducted in 1682 patients (including 248 women) who had had a confirmed myocardial infarct (MI). 25% of the patients were admitted to the trial within 3 days of the infarction and 50% within 7 days. Aspirin, 300 mg three times daily, was given for 1 yr. Total mortality was 12.3% in patients given aspirin and 14.8% in those given placebo, a reduction by aspirin of 17%, which was not statistically significant at p less than 0.05. The reduction in specific ischaemic-heart-disease (IHD) mortality was 22% and in total mortality plus IHD morbidity (readmission to hospital for MI in survivors) was 28%.