The efficacy of aspirin as a prophylactic agent for patients recovering from total knee arthroplasties

Abstract

Guidelines regarding deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis following total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) have had conflicting information regarding the use of aspirin as a prophylactic agent in recent years. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence refrains from listing the drug in its guidelines, while the American College of Chest Physicians advocates for the drug. Despite the conflicting guidelines, physicians have favored the drug in recent years, with more than 80% utilizing it as a prophylactic agent in TKAs. Although a consensus may have been reached by physicians regarding the use of the drug, a consensus has not been reached regarding the preferred dosage. With this in mind, a search of the PubMed database was conducted, which yielded six studies that discussed the efficacy of various dose ranges of aspirin. All studies corroborated that not only was aspirin an effective prophylactic agent but also that there was no significant difference between dosages regarding efficacies. Due to factors such as aspirin resistance and the potential of aspirin to cause gastrointestinal injuries, this literature review concludes that the dosage of aspirin given for the prophylaxis of DVT in TKAs should be considered on a patient-to-patient basis.