Recommendation of Aspirin-Guide App and Physicians Clinical Decision of Aspirin Use to Prevent CVD Among Diabetic Patients, Is there any Differences?

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to identify the prevalence of aspirin use among type 2 diabetic (T2DM) patients and assess the concordance in aspirin use among these patients as prescribed by physicians and as recommended by the Aspirin-Guide app. Methods: A total of 301 T2DM patients from King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia participated in this cross-sectional study. Patient’s electronic medical records through eSihi system were reviewed and all data included in the free online and mobile app called Aspirin-Guide were collected in a specially designed data checklist. Result: The prevalence of aspirin use was more common in patients who were in the age group of 51 to 59 and male participants’ with T2DM. Males were nearly twice more likely to use aspirin compared to females ( P = 0.001). Based on recommendations from the Aspirin-Guide app, 26% of the patients who were on aspirin (N = 51) were not eligible for aspirin therapy, while 37.7% (N = 40) of the patients eligible for aspirin therapy had not been put on aspirin by their physicians ( P = 0.039). Male sex ( P = 0.003), use of statins ( P = 0.001), and being advised to use aspirin ( P = 0.041), were significantly associated with aspirin use in T2DM patients. Conclusion: There was a significant difference in the proportion of patients currently on aspirin as prescribed by their physicians and those eligible for aspirin therapy as per the Aspirin-Guide app. The use of an app to uniformized aspirin use among eligible patients should be based on up-to-date guidelines and account for patient acceptability and willingness to commence treatment.