For the past decades, low-dose aspirin has been used to ward off heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular disease. New studies, though, suggest that aspirin should not be given to adults who are in good cardiovascular health and that there is a risk of internal bleeding if it is given to those who don't really need it, thus outweighing the benefit.
The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association released the new study on Sunday. They come on the series of studies released last year that said daily low-dose aspirin, which is100 milligrams or less, did not help older adults who do not have cardiovascular disease. Those results, published in three articles in The New England Journal of Medicine, surprised physicians and patients alike who for years believed aspirin would prevent any number of heart-related illness.
The authors of the new guidelines said low-dose aspirin should not be routinely given as a preventive measure to adults 70 years and older or to any adult who has an increased risk of bleeding.
"The guidelines are for people with no clinical signs of heart disease or stroke," said one of the authors, Dr. Erin Michos, the associate director of preventive cardiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, in an interview on Monday.
She emphasized, though, that people who have had heart attacks or have stents should continue with the medication. "They should still take aspirin," she added.
Patients should consult their primary care doctor or cardiovascular physician before taking of aspirin, and even if they are considering of stopping it. This is to prevent any sudden changes in your intake that could harm you in the future.
Dr. Michos said she had been telling her patients who do not have cardiovascular disease to stop taking aspirin. "They are receptive to that," she said.
Instead, the study recommended several behavioral changes to ensure a healthy heart. These include maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, engaging in moderate activity for at least 150 minutes a week and a diet that includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and fish.
Last year, one study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found no benefits to taking aspirin in low-risk patients. Another found that diabetics with cardiovascular disease could benefit from low-dose aspirin, but there was a risk of major bleeding. The third study found that heavier adults would need larger doses, suggesting that how much a person takes matters. Those findings applied to people with no history of dementia, physical disability, heart attacks or strokes.
