ASPECT, Aspirin after hospitalisation with Pneumonia to prevent cardiovascular Events randomised Controlled Trial
Status: Open
Sponsor: North Bristol NHS Trust
What is the ASPECT study?
The ASPECT Study is a Randomised Controlled Trial. It is investigating whether aspirin reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke in patients who are admitted to hospital with pneumonia.
Why is this study being done?
Most people recover normally from a pneumonia infection. But around 5 in 100 people will go on to have a heart attack or stroke.
Aspirin has been used for decades to reduce the chance of having a heart attack or stroke in patients at high risk of either event. It works quickly with limited side effects in the vast majority of patients. Some studies have shown that patients who develop pneumonia and take aspirin have a lower chance of these events.
The high incidence of pneumonia means that there would be about 2,800-3,800 fewer Major Adverse Cardiac Events per year if aspirin were to reduce the risk by 15-20% (in England alone).
What is the aim of the study?
The study aims to test whether low dose aspirin reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke in these patients.
Chief Investigator name: Prof Nick Maskell
Trial Coordinator/Assistant coordinator: Sam Thomson-Hill Email: sam.thomson-hill@bristol.ac.uk
Who can get involved in the ASPECT study?
The study is being carried out at hospitals in England. We aim to recruit 22,600 pneumonia patients in England to the ASPECT study.
Adults aged 50 years and over admitted to hospital with pneumonia will be invited to take part.