V Elderly people who are at risk for heart disease should not drink a low dose of aspirin every day to prevent a first heart attack or stroke, the Associated Press and Reuters reported, citing draft recommendations from the US Task Force on Disease Prevention.
The risks of bleeding in people 60 years of age and older who have not had a heart attack or stroke are much greater than the potential benefits of aspirin.
For the first time, the working group said in the preliminary edition of the recommendations that there may be little benefit from aspirin for people 40 years of age who are not at risk of bleeding. For 50-year-olds, the data for some benefit are not so clear.
–
–
The recommendations are aimed at people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity or other diseases that are at risk for heart attack or stroke. The working group plans to update its 2016 recommendation because there is new evidence that the risk of life-threatening internal bleeding increases with age.
Evidence that aspirin prevents colorectal cancer is also insufficient. The working group includes 16 independent experts appointed by the US Department of Health.
The new recommendations do not affect people who drink aspirin every day to prevent another cardiovascular accident.
They should continue to take it unless their doctor tells you otherwise.
Aspirin is known to be a painkiller, but it also thins the blood and can reduce the risk of blood clots. However, it is associated with risks of bleeding or ulcers of the digestive tract, even in low doses, and they can be life-threatening.
