A clinical trial testing if aspirin prevents heart attacks and strokes in people with chronic kidney disease

Aspirin To Target Arterial events in Chronic Kidney disease – the ATTACK trial: Joint Funding with NIHR (Health Technology Assessment Board (HTA))

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common, particularly in the elderly. In some cases, it can advance into life-threatening kidney problems. But the greatest health threat to most people with CKD is that it significantly increases their risk of heart attack and stroke. We don’t yet know enough about the best ways to reduce these risks in people with CKD, but some experts think that aspirin could help. This study will weigh up the benefits and risks of taking aspirin for people with CKD. Aspirin is commonly used to help prevent a heart attack in people who are at high risk due to having heart disease – for instance in those with angina. However, aspirin carries its own health warnings. It increases the risk of bleeding, so decisions about using it for prevention have to be taken very carefully. This clinical trial, funded by the National Institute for Health Research and the BHF, Dr Gallagher will test whether a daily low-dose of aspirin can safely reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in around 23,000 people with CKD without heart disease, who will be recruited through GP surgeries. If the benefits of taking aspirin are found to outweigh the risks, this evidence could help an additional three million people with CKD reduce their cardiovascular risk. It may prevent thousands of life-threatening heart attacks and strokes each year.