Asprin Therapy Less Effective for Women

U.S. researchers say aspirin therapy is four times less effective as a heart treatment for women than men.

Aspirin works by causing platelet inhibition in the blood, which means that platelets cannot stick together. This slows the formation of blood clots that cause a heart attack or stroke, the University of Michigan said in a release.

This does happen in women, but it doesn’t happen in as many women and it’s not as effective, said Michael Dorsch, clinical pharmacist and adjunct clinical instructor at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy.

Dorsch is lead author of the study, which appeared online Friday in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

It could be that women have a more active platelet system in the body so it’s less likely that platelet action would be inhibited, Dorsch said.