My cardiologist wants me to take a daily low dose aspirin, but I am hesitant as I have a history of proteinuria. I know the studies are inconclusive as to whether or not it helps (and even my cardiologist admits that), but I have a bad valve and my risk is moderately high for sudden death/stroke.
I'm obviously not asking for medical opinions here, just asking for others' experiences, if any, with daily low dose aspirin.
A little over a year ago, a cardiologist found something on a stress test and recommended a whole bunch of tests, including an angiogram, echocardiogram, etc. She also recommended a baby aspirin even though I have Stage 3 ckd and no proteinuria. A nephrologist will nearly always defer to a cardiologist's recommendation when it comes to matters of the heart, and mine is no different. He said he wouldn't worry to much about me taking a baby aspirin. Then I read the aspirin research as it pertained to ckd. Not thrilled. Then I went to another cardiologist who did some more tests and said my heart is perfectly fine. I went with the second doc's opinion and refused the aspirin.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! My plan is to get a second opinion from another cardiologist, but I'm sure they won't say my heart is perfectly fine! 😉 However, I am thrilled that that was your result!!!
Thankfully I dont have related experience for myself or my mum's ckd. But, as with any medical intervention, you must assess both risks and benefits. Like so many, you may leave that to your medic but sadly they very often differ between individual specialisms and even within the same specialism eg cardiologists. And even sadder, they may have non-medical influences and/or unaware of scientifically-underpinned, latest information.
I planned to send you 2 or 3 scientific links I have on the subject to get you started (presumably Marvin has some too). But I decided against that, particularly as there's some conflict between them.
I don't take aspirin but do have a bottle of 325 mg. because in case of a heart attack/stroke I've read to chew on one 325 mg. to help break up blood clots and assist leading to a better outcome. Haven't read scientific studies but just what I've read.
Now THAT is a good idea, which I follow as well.
My husband does a baby aspirin every day and he is stage3 a. He was almost stage 4 but improved and has been there for a while. He was just recently told no protein in the urine and the neph is only seeing him once a year now.
Every time I'm in the hospital my BP is high...go figure but it's been high at dialysis too so my doc put me on low dose aspirin and it's helped lower my BP. I don't worry about proteinuria anymore as I'm now on dialysis. I had it even though I took Losartan for it (raised my potassium) so stopped that as it did nothing for my proteinurea. Go with you gut feelings.
according to the National Kidney Foundation low dose aspirin is safe for ckd, however I am like you and still hesitant. I took short term low dose aspirin for a short time and did not notice my kidney number go down but it was short time. Even though its low dose it made me nervous and I take fish oil, eat foods high in vitamin E, Bromelain, and ginger on a regular basis as this is supposedly good at keeping the blood thinner naturally. But honestly I have no idea if its effective.
I did read online about a randomized clinical trial that showed people that took low dose aspirin and had ckd died earlier than those that did not. Your Dr. needs to provide you with some studies or abstract if they can that shows benefit if he is asking you to take it.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
nature.com/articles/s41598-...
Thanks for those articles.
I too am on low dose aspirin. I don't have proteinuria. My doctor doesn't seem to have a problem with me taking it.
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