Common preventive therapies for heart disease found ineffective

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Taking vitamins C or E or low-dose aspirin are common tactics to help prevent heart disease as well as heart attacks and strokes. But two studies presented today at the annual meeting of the American Heart Assn. cast doubt on aspects of those prevention strategies.

In one study of more than 14,000 male doctors, Harvard researchers found that neither vitamin E nor vitamin C supplements reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as a heart attack. The study assigned the doctors to take either 400 international units of vitamin E every other day or a placebo, and 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily or a placebo. The participants were followed for an average of eight years. The supplements did not protect against cardiovascular events or deaths, although vitamin E use was linked to an increased risk of stroke.

In another study presented at the meeting, which is being held in Chicago, scientists from Japan found that taking low-dose aspirin to prevent heart attacks, strokes and peripheral vascular events in people with Type 2 diabetes was not effective. Diabetics have a much higher risk of cardiovascular disease, and the American Diabetes Assn. recommends aspirin to prevent heart disease in diabetics who are older than 40 or who have additional risk factors, such as a family history. The study, which involved more than 2,500 Japanese people with diabetes, was randomized so that participants received daily low-dose aspirin or a placebo. But no difference in events was found in the two groups. Experts note, however, that low-dose aspirin may be effective in other populations. Japanese people, in general, have low rates of cardiovascular events.

Both studies will be published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn.

-- Shari Roan