Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Apr 2012
Comparative StudyTiming of preoperative aspirin discontinuation and outcome after elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Whether aspirin should be discontinued before coronary artery bypass grafting is controversial. The potential benefits and harms associated with late use of aspirin (no discontinuation or discontinuation <3 days before surgery) were investigated in this retrospective, multicenter study. ⋯ Late or no discontinuation of low-dose aspirin before coronary artery bypass grafting may decrease the risk of postoperative stroke without increased postoperative bleeding and need for blood transfusion. These findings and the risk of cardiovascular events possibly occurring at the time of its discontinuation suggest that the use of aspirin until the day of elective coronary surgery may be beneficial.