Can aspirin decrease the rate of intracranial aneurysm growth?

Researchers conducted a database search to investigate whether aspirin can aid in the prevention of intracranial aneurysm rupture by hindering aneurysm growth. The researchers identified 146 patients harboring multiple intracranial aneurysms, five millimeters or less in diameter, that had been observed for at least five years. In this set of patients, the researchers found an association between aspirin use and a decreased rate of aneurysm growth. Growth is important in intracranial aneurysms because it increases the risk of aneurysm rupture. Detailed findings are found in the article, "Aspirin associated with decreased rate of intracranial aneurysm growth," by Mario Zanaty, M.D., and colleagues, published today in the Journal of Neurosurgery.