Effectiveness and Safety of Enteric-Coated vs Uncoated Aspirin in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

A recent secondary analysis of the ADAPTABLE clinical trial, involving 10,678 participants with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, investigated the effectiveness and safety of enteric-coated vs. uncoated aspirin. Despite clinicians often recommending enteric-coated aspirin to reduce gastrointestinal bleeding, the study found no significant differences in outcomes between the two formulations. Participants taking enteric-coated aspirin (69.0%) showed comparable results to those on uncoated aspirin (31.0%) regarding myocardial infarction, stroke, or death risk. Neither formulation, regardless of dosage, exhibited notable disparities in effectiveness or safety. While a reduction in bleeding risk with enteric-coated aspirin was suggested, further research is required to confirm its benefits or explore newer formulations for this patient population.