Aspirin for type 2 diabetics

 British Guidelines on Hypertension Management.
The Lancet Sept 4 1999, 1999;354:839.

“... for primary prevention of CHD, indication for aspirin use include”:
• age more than 50 years and target organ damage, or
• a 10-tear CHD risk of more than 15%, or
• type 2 diabetes.
• But, say the guidelines, aspirin should only be given to patients once blood pressure is controlled to less than 150/90 mm Hg.
• Aspirin is also recommended for secondary prevention of CHD in patients who have cardiovascular complications.
• ... optimal blood pressure target; in diabetics 140/80 mm Hg or less. Systolic and diastolic targets should be both attained.
• ... BHS recommends that blood pressure screening should continue until at least the age of 80 years. If antihypertensive treatment is started before then, it should be continued after 80.

    The guideline stress that absolute benefit from treatment in the elderly is much larger than that for younger hypertensives because of their higher absolute risk. In the past there was also a fear that the elderly would not tolerate antihypertensive drugs ...

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