Aslam Ali and Shubham Karale
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a medication used to reduce pain, fever or inflammation. Many diabetics are insensitive to aspirin’s platelet anti-aggregation effects. The possible modulating effects of coadministration of aspirin and fish oil in subjects with diabetes are poorly characterized. Aspirin alone and in combination with fish oil reduced platelet aggregation in most participants. Five of 7 participants classified as aspirin insensitive 1 week after daily aspirin ingestion were sensitive after the combination. Although some platelet aggregation measures correlated positively after aspirin and fish oil ingestion alone and (in combination) in all individuals, correlation was only observed in those who were aspirin insensitive after ingestion of the combination. However, the benefits of combining EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) + DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) with aspirin on platelet function or other inflammatory parameters have not received much attention. We hypothesized that the combination of lowdose aspirin and ω3 fatty acids of fish oil would be more effective than aspirin alone in reducing platelet aggregation and related mechanisms that potentiate the atherosclerotic process in subjects with type II diabetes.