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NATION’S LEADING PREVENTION HEALTH GROUPS APPLAUD AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOR ADOPTING NEW ASPIRIN POLICY RESOLUTION 

-- American College of Preventive Medicine and Partnership for Prevention Reinforce Commitment to Preventing Heart Attacks and Strokes --

WHAT

In response to the American Medical Association’s new health policy to increase education among physicians on the importance of appropriate aspirin counseling for the prevention of heart attack and stroke, released Tuesday, the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) and Partnership for Prevention (Partnership) redouble their commitment to stem the incidence of heart attacks and strokes in America.  AMA’s new policy also supports quality improvement efforts and coverage benefits for counseling about appropriate aspirin use. 

Through ongoing collaboration, ACPM and Partnership continue to advance their shared commitment to both raise awareness about simple, cost-effective prevention strategies, like aspirin, and turn awareness into action to improve public health.  In addition to supporting this important new resolution, two of the nation’s leading prevention organizations are also focused on activating tools and initiatives to promote better doctor-patient dialogue about the role of aspirin in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events. 

Aspirin’s potential to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been underscored in recent reports.  An August 2007 report by Partnership calculated that 45,000 lives would be saved each year if more adults took aspirin to prevent cardiovascular (CV) events. The report reaffirms a prior Partnership report which rated aspirin counseling as one of the highest value clinical preventive services.  

A 2007 ACPM report published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that 43% of increased-risk respondents said they do not take aspirin regularly. Notably, the report did show that the factor most strongly associated with aspirin use was a conversation about aspirin with a healthcare provider: aspirin use was 88% among respondents reporting such a discussion, compared to 17% for those who did not report a discussion.

For more information, visit http://www.prevent.org/content/view/107/129/.  

WHO

George K. Anderson MD, MPH is available to discuss the organizations’ related activities, as well as the clinical and public health implications of this important new resolution.   

Dr. Anderson currently serves as the Executive Director of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States, a non-profit society of the federal health agencies.  He is also a Past President and Fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine, and past Chairman of the American Board of Preventive Medicine and has published research on CVD and aspirin use.  

TO SPEAK WITH DR. ANDERSON PLEASE CONTACT: 

Katie Cline                                                 Rachel Laitala
SENSEI Health                                            SENSEI Health
(212) 631-0505 x18                                     (212) 631-0505 x33
kcline@senseihealth.com                                                           rlaitala@senseihealth.com