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THAT'S NEWS Routine Aspirin Intake More Likely to Harm Than Benefit A RECENT UK study, thought to be the largest ever to look at the effects of aspirin in people with no history of cardiovascular disease, has revealed that regular aspirin intake is more likely to harm than benefit healthy individuals. The study's senior author, Kausik Ray, profes- sor of cardiovascular disease prevention at St George's University of London, and colleagues analyzed data from nine clinical trials, which included more than 100,000 individuals. Half of those participants took aspirin for an average of six years, while the other half took a placebo. Researchers discovered that while aspirin taken daily or every other day reduced the risk of total cardiovascular disease events by 10%, the benefit was outweighed by the 30% increase in the risk of potentially fatal or debilitating internal bleeding. One in 73 study participants developed significant internal bleeding, while only one cardiovascular disease was prevented for every 120 people. Routine aspirin regimens are commonly used as a secondary prevention measure against heart attack or stroke in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease. However, researchers concluded that routine aspirin use is "not war- ranted in patients with no history, and treatment decisions should be considered carefully on a case-by-case basis." Clarifying the Link Between Salt and Hypertension RESEARCHERS AT BOSTON University School of Medicine (BUSM) recently led a study that debunks the longtime myth that excess salt causes an increase in blood volume, putting extra pressure on the arteries and causing hypertension. It's long been thought that excess salt causes fluid retention in the arterial circulatory system, increasing pressure on the arterial walls. However, researchers led by Irene Gavras, M.D., and Haralambos Gavras, M.D., professors at BUSM, proved that excess salt actually stimulates the sympathetic nervous system in the brain to increase adrenaline production. The increase in adrenaline causes arteries to constrict, which increases resistance to blood flow and decreases circulatory volume. While diuretics have been used in the past to remove excess salt to treat hypertension, researchers say physicians should also focus on blocking the sympathetic nervous system. ADVERTISERS' INDEX Brio Tuscan Grille: 17 Craig Hospital: Inside Front Cover Donohue Feiman: 9 Keurig: Back Cover Life Care Centers of America: 9 [ADVERTISEMENT] Introducing...The iPad edition of MD News The leading health care publication for physicians is now available virtually anywhere physicians are. The new iPad edition features exciting content not found in the print magazine, in addition to: + Sleek, easy-to-navigate design + Dual viewing mode + Informative videos + Infographics + Regional news + Slideshows + and more! MD News for the iPad in the iTunes App Store today!