Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small vesicles deriving from all cell types during cell activation, involved in transcellular communication, and regarded as predictors of vascular damage and of cardiovascular events. The investigators will test the hypothesis that, in patients on chronic low-dose aspirin treatment for cardiovascular prevention, aspirin may affect the release of EVs within the 24 hours interval.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients on low-dose aspirin treatment for cardiovascular prevention for at least 1 month
• arterial hypertension if well controlled with stable drug therapy
• hypercholesterolemia if well controlled with stable drug therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

• cigarette smoking insufficiency
• clinically significant hepatic insufficiency
• clinically significant renal insufficiency
• clinically significant cardiac insufficiency
• clinically significant pulmonary insufficiency
• history of malignant neoplasms (diagnosed and treated within the past 5 years)
• pregnancy or lactation
• history of malabsorption
• regular (daily) alcohol consumption
• regular (i.e., more than 3 days per week) non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake
• type 1 diabetes excluded by islet autoantibodies evaluation (anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase, islet cell cytoplasmic, and IA-2 antibodies), family history of type 1 diabetes, age lower than 40 years, lean phenotype, early requirement for insulin therapy

Patients on low-dose aspirin treatment for cardiovascular prevention (enteric coated, Cardio aspirin 100 mg/die Bayer, Milan, Italy) once daily (o.d.) for at least 1 month