In an article published January 18, 2017, in the journal Bone and Joint Surgery, Dr. J. Parvizi and coauthors reported on their study evaluating the effectiveness of low-dose (81 mg aspirin twice a day) to standard-strength aspirin (325 mg twice a day). In a prospective study involving over 4,600 total joint cases, they found low-dose aspirin was equivalent to standard-strength aspirin in preventing DVT and pulmonary embolus after hip and knee replacement. This marks on important study demonstrating the efficacy of low-dose aspirin in preventing blood clots in the lower extremities after joint replacement. The lower dose aspirin should have a lower side effect profile, including GI irritation and bleeding. Based on this and other studies, we plan on switching from our standard-strength aspirin to low-dose aspirin for treatment of patients with low risk for blood clots following joint replacement surgery at Valley Medical Center.
