Patients with a history of disease of the blood vessels should be taking aspirin unless there are good reasons for not doing so. The patients were split into two groups - those with ischaemic heart disease (heart attack,angina) and those with cerebrovascular disease (strokes). Each group was then split into those taking aspirin, either prescribed or over the counter; those with contraindications such as previous adverse reaction, peptic ulcer disease, or taking warfarin; and those in whom the use of aspirin was recorded as discussed but who had declined or been obviously unsuitable. This left the group who should be taking aspirin but were not. For audit purposes nationally it has been decided to look at patients aged 35-74 in order to standardise the figures. Patients outside these ages are treated in the same manner. The numbers in the various categories are shown below:-
| Total practice population | 5582 |
| Practice population aged 35-74 | 2788 |
| patient group | total no. | on aspirin | can't take | declined | no record |
| Patients with IHD | 181 | 151 | 24 | 3 | 3 |
| Patients with CVD | 89 | 81 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
There were a total of 4 patients with vascular disease who should be on aspirin but who appear not to be. A note has been put in their records so that this can be discussed at their next consultation.