A £3.9 million research grant has been awarded to a team of researchers at Epsom and St Helier hospitals for what is believed to be the largest study of its kind of kidney patients.

The team, led by Dr Hugh Gallagher, will try to recruit 23,000 people from across the country to find out if a low dose of aspirin should be used to prevent a first heart attack and stroke in people with chronic kidney disease.

Dr Gallagher said: “It is estimated that there are at least five million people with chronic kidney disease in the UK and, although only a minority will develop kidney disease of such severity that dialysis or a transplant is required, all are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Aspirin is a familiar and inexpensive intervention and there is some evidence that people with kidney disease may particularly stand to benefit, but there is also the potential for extra risks of bleeding.

“We believe that around one million people with chronic kidney disease who do not have cardiovascular disease are now prescribed aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke whereas three million are not, reflecting the current uncertainty."

This trial should give the evidence required to prove one way or the other whether doctors should be offering aspirin to patients with chronic kidney disease to prevent heart diseases.

Joint Medical Director Dr James Marsh said: “We are all so incredibly proud of Hugh and the research team for securing this vital funding.

“This debate around aspirin for patients with chronic kidney disease has rumbled on for some years, with doctors up and down the country taking a different approach.

“We hope that this clinical trial will give us a clear answer once and for all, and we are absolutely delighted that Epsom and St Helier staff will be at the forefront of that work.”

The study, which will be known as ‘Aspirin To Target Arterial Events in Chronic Kidney Disease’ (ATTACK) is expected to begin in the summer of 2018, and the trial is scheduled to finish in 2025.

The research is being funded the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the British Heart Foundation.

A £3.9 million research grant has been awarded to Dr Hugh Gallagher and his team of researchers at Epsom and St Helier hospitals.

The team will try to recruit 23,000 people from across the country to find out if a low dose of aspirin should be used to prevent a first heart attack and stroke in people with chronic kidney disease.

The research is being funded the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the British Heart Foundation, and is thought to be the largest study of its kind in kidney patients.

Dr Gallagher said: “It is estimated that there are at least five million people with chronic kidney disease in the UK and, although only a minority will develop kidney disease of such severity that dialysis or a transplant is required, all are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Aspirin is a familiar and inexpensive intervention and there is some evidence that people with kidney disease may particularly stand to benefit, but there is also the potential for extra risks of bleeding.

“We believe that around one million people with chronic kidney disease who do not have cardiovascular disease are now prescribed aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke whereas three million are not, reflecting the current uncertainty."

This trial should give the evidence required to prove one way or the other whether doctors should be offering aspirin to patients with chronic kidney disease to prevent heart diseases.

Joint Medical Director Dr James Marsh said: “We are all so incredibly proud of Hugh and the research team for securing this vital funding.

“This debate around aspirin for patients with chronic kidney disease has rumbled on for some years, with doctors up and down the country taking a different approach.

“We hope that this clinical trial will give us a clear answer once and for all, and we are absolutely delighted that Epsom and St Helier staff will be at the forefront of that work.”

The study, which will be known as ‘Aspirin To Target Arterial Events in Chronic Kidney Disease’ (ATTACK) is expected to begin in the summer of 2018, and the trial is scheduled to finish in 2025.