- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
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Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell is board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. She's a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic and an associate professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
The Aibonito, Puerto Rico, native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1994.
She's a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, the American Diabetes Association and The Endocrine Society.
Dr. Collazo-Clavell is medical editor of diabetes content on Mayo's health information website and for "Mayo Clinic The Essential Diabetes Book." Her clinical interests include management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity and nutritional disorders.
Risk factors (1)
- Diabetes: Does alcohol and tobacco use increase my risk?
Symptoms (1)
- The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
Complications (1)
- Diabetes: How do I help protect my liver?
Treatments and drugs (5)
- Avandia safety concerns: What should I do?
- Diabetes management: Does aspirin therapy prevent heart problems?
- Blood glucose monitors: What factors affect accuracy?
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Lifestyle and home remedies (11)
- Diabetes: Are electric blankets off-limits?
- Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes?
- Air pollution and exercise: Is outdoor exercise risky?
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (1)
- Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
Prevention (2)
- Healthy heart for life: Avoiding heart disease
- Sodium nitrate in meat: Heart disease risk factor?
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Question
Diabetes management: Does aspirin therapy prevent heart problems?
I've heard that aspirin therapy may not help prevent heart problems when you have diabetes and peripheral artery disease. Should I keep taking it?
Answer
from Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
If you have diabetes, you're at higher risk of heart attack and clot-related stroke (cardiovascular events). Perhipheral artery disease — a condition in which your arteries narrow, reducing blood flow to your arms and legs — also increases your risk of cardiovascular events.
Aspirin interferes with your blood's ability to clot. Because you're at increased risk of cardiovascular events if you have diabetes, daily aspirin therapy typically has been recommended as part of a diabetes management plan. Research has shown that aspirin therapy is effective at reducing the risk of heart attack and clot-related strokes if you've had a previous cardiovascular event. It also appears to reduce these risks if you're experiencing symptoms of peripheral artery disease — such as leg cramping, numbness or weakness.
What's not clear is whether aspirin lowers the risk of a cardiovascular event if you haven't experienced one before and you aren't experiencing symptoms of peripheral artery disease. More study is needed on the potential benefits and risks of aspirin therapy in these people. Aspirin therapy does have potential side effects, such as bleeding and bleeding stroke (hemorrhagic stroke). If you have diabetes, peripheral artery disease or both, ask your doctor about daily aspirin therapy, including which strength of aspirin would be best.
Next questionBlood glucose monitors: What factors affect accuracy?
- Belch J, et al. The prevention of progression of arterial disease and diabetes (POPADAD) trial: Factorial randomised placebo controlled trial of aspirin and antioxidants in patients with diabetes and asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease. British Medical Journal. 2008;337:a1840.
- Collazo-Clavell ML (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 10, 2010.
- Farkouh ME. Aspirin and/or antioxidants did not prevent CV events in diabetes and peripheral arterial disease. ACP Journal Club. 2009;150:JC6.
- Buse JB, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases in people with diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care. 2007;30:162.
- Ogawa H, et al. Low-dose aspirin for primary prevention of atherosclerotic events in patients with type 2 diabetes. JAMA. 2008;300:2134.
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