Brief review Gastroduodenal toxicity of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid: a comparison with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Background: Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; aspirin; 75–325 mg/day) is effective for the prevention of cardiovascular events, and its use in this indication is rapidly increasing. However, the use of ASA and, indeed, other nonsteroidalanti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is limited by the incidence of adverse gastroduodenal events. Objectives and scope: To review the clinical evidence for, and the pharmacodynamicbasis of, ASA-induced gastroduodenal toxicity in comparison with NSAIDs, and address the question of whether low-dose ASA is ‘safe’ from a gastroduodenal perspective. This was a narrative, descriptive review, rather than a formal systematic review.