To continue or discontinue aspirin in the perioperative period: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

This randomized double-blind study compared perioperative maintenance with the preoperative withdrawal of aspirin 7 days before non-cardiac surgery in high-risk patients. Aspirin maintenance allows a 80% decrease in the relative risk for major adverse cardiac events, without increasing bleeding complications. This study is probably underpowered because only 220 patients were included; however it confirms for the first time the validity of a widely used clinical practice.

– Charles-Marc Samama