A. B. Olokoba

An Audit Of Aspirin Use For Prevention Of Vascular Complications In Nigerians With Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Cardiovascular events represent the major cause of death in individuals with diabetes mellitus. The American Diabetes Association has recommended that diabetic adults with addition risk factor for cardiovascular disease be treated with aspirin. We aimed to assess the use of aspirin in diabetic patients. Methods: Case notes of 100 diabetic patients were randomly selected on three occasions (0, 3 and 6 months). Information on risk factors and aspirin use was collected. Following the first review, we raised awareness on this issue. Results: Medical officers were aware of the need for secondary cardiovascular prevention in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, prescription for primary prevention was low. After raising awareness through hospital presentations, aspirin prescription increased. Conclusion: Simple measures of health education, through hospital presentation as part of an audit cycle, have led to a significant improvement in number of aspirin prescriptions. This should translate into a long time improvement in vascular outcome in this patient group. Keywords : Audit, Diabetes mellitus, Prevention, Aspirin, Nigeria Sahel Medical Journal Vol. 11 (4) 2008: pp. 134-136