Risks and benefits of giving early Aspirin within 6 hours of CABG: A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Antiplatelet drugs are frequently used after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery to prevent venous graft occlusion. The fear of bleeding complications prevents them to be given early post operatively, which is the time when antiplatelets use confers maximum benefit. Our objective was to determine the effect and influence of early aspirin therapy on fatal and nonfatal bleeding complications and blood requirements after coronary bypass surgery (CABG). METHODS: The patients who only underwent coronary artery bypass surgery for the first time in the past three years and did not have any bleeding diathesis were retrospectively analyzed from the cardiac surgery database of CPEIC Multan. The patients either received aspirin within six hours of CABG or had it given after 12 hours. The patients were analyzed for mean blood loss and number of blood units transfused. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. P value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Total 281 patients received aspirin within six hours while 326 patients did not. Mean blood loss in early aspirin group was 727ml as compared to 767ml in the other group (p value 0.74). The median number of blood units transfused was 2 (p value 0.98). Our results did not show any statistical difference in both the groups. CONCLUSION: Aspirin can safely be given early after CABG without the fear of bleeding complications thus conferring the advantage of increased graft patency.