Taking a low-dose aspirin every day has long been known to cut the chances of another heart attack, stroke or other heart problem in people who already have had one, but the risks don't outweigh the benefits for most other folks according to new guidelines.
People without heart disease who take a daily aspirin may lower their risk of a heart attack or stroke, but a new study confirms they also have an increased risk of severe internal bleeding.
Although it's been used for more than a century, aspirin's value in many situations is still unclear.
It’s no longer recommended as a preventative for older adults who don’t have a high risk or existing heart disease according to guidelines announced Sunday
Doctors may consider aspirin for certain older high-risk patients, such as those who have trouble lowering their cholesterol or managing their blood sugars, as long as there is no increased risk for internal bleeding, the guidelines in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology say.
European guidelines recommend against the use of anti-clotting therapies such as aspirin at any age.
'Clinicians should be very selective in prescribing aspirin for people without known cardiovascular disease,' John Hopkins cardiologist Dr. Roger Blumenthal, who co-chaired the new guidelines, said in a statement. 'It's much more important to optimize lifestyle habits and control blood pressure and cholesterol as opposed to recommending aspirin.'
'For the most part, we are now much better at treating risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and especially high cholesterol,' said North Carolina cardiologist Dr. Kevin Campbell to CNN. 'This makes the biggest difference, probably negating any previously perceived aspirin benefit in primary prevention.'
The guidelines were put together by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
Campbell
