Care recommendations

Aspirin treatment in diabetes

Heart disease is a major complication of diabetes. Regular physical activity, losing weight, a healthy diet and stopping smoking are all vital in reducing that risk.

Taking a regular low dose of aspirin has been shown in many studies to reduce the risk of heart disease. Diabetes UK is now recommending that people diagnosed with diabetes, aged 50 or over, in the groups below, should be offered aspirin treatment, or should obtain it for themselves, in addition to following a healthy lifestyle.

Anyone considering starting aspirin treatment should initially discuss this with a member of the diabetes care team, a doctor, nurse or pharmacist, taking this information sheet with them. You should also carefully read the tablet information sheet, found in the pack of aspirin, before taking the tablets.

Side effects of aspirin are generally mild and infrequent but can include gastrointestinal (gut) bleeding or irritation. These can be reduced by taking a soluble form of aspirin with or after food.

Aspirin treatment is recommended for adults with diabetes who are 50 or over, and selectively in younger people with one of the following risk factors:

  • who have had diabetes for more than 10 years
  • who are already receiving treatment for high blood pressure
  • who have target organ damage, in the form of retinopathy or nephropathy, and
  • whose blood pressure is controlled to at least 150/90mmHg and preferably to the optimal target of 130/80mmHg
  • who are of South Asian origin
  • who are of Black African Caribbean origin
  • who smoke
  • who have a family history of heart disease

Exceptions to this would be for those who cannot tolerate aspirin. These would include those with:

  • gastric and duodenal ulcers
  • aspirin allergy
  • bleeding tendency
  • current anticoagulant therapy (such as Warfarin)
  • past history of gastro-intestinal bleeding
  • active hepatic (liver) disease
  • history of asthma caused by aspirin
  • uncontrolled high blood pressure

The more of the above risk factors you have, the more likely it is that aspirin treatment will be beneficial. The dosage recommended is 75 mg aspirin daily, though you should discuss this with your healthcare team. 

April 2007