Staying Healthy
Low-dose aspirin now the preferred agent to help prevent blood clots after knee replacement
In the journals
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
A 2024 observational study highlights why orthopedists more often prescribe low-dose aspirin rather than an anticoagulant drug for preventing blood clots after a total knee replacement. Blood clots can be a serious complication of orthopedic surgery. Without preventive treatment, clots can form in a leg, break away, and travel to the lungs, causing a potentially fatal blockage called pulmonary embolism (PE).
In this study, researchers included 94,000 people who had total knee replacement over a 10-year period and received either low-dose aspirin, an anticoagulant (warfarin, a direct oral anticoagulant, or low-molecular-weight heparin), or both types of medication. They found among people who took only low-dose aspirin, there were significantly fewer cases of blood clots and PE within 90 days after surgery and less chance of a bleeding complication (a risk of both methods of blood clot prevention), compared with patients who took anticoagulants. The study was published July 17, 2024, in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
