For years, doctors have recommended that older adults at higher risk for a heart attack or stroke take a low dose of aspirin once a day to lower their risk. Aspirin helps prevent the formation of blood clots, which is the main cause of heart attack and stroke, but the drug also carries a risk of bleeding. This risk may outweigh the benefits of aspirin in some cases, which is why recommendations have changed in recent years.
Supported by research guidance of the American Heart Association (AHA), published in 2019, advised against the routine use of baby aspirin to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This was followed by a 2022 recommendation from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), emphasizing that people age 60 and older should not take daily baby aspirin for heart health. However, the task force added that there is a “small net benefit” to taking aspirin to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in people between 40 and 59 years of age, with a higher risk of developing heart problems in the next decade, leaving many people confused. .
About that, to look for shows that millions of people still takes baby aspirin, despite not being at risk of heart disease.
So, what do you need to know about the potential benefits and risks of aspirin? And who should accept it or avoid it? Doctors analyze everything.
Does aspirin help prevent colon cancer?
Several studies found that taking aspirin can lower your risk of developing colon cancer and polyps, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Aspirin can increase the body’s immune response against cancer cells. However, research has been mixed on whether taking aspirin regularly helps lower the chances that someone who has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer will die from the disease.
More recently, a to study of more than 100,000 people published in early August found that those who led less healthy lifestyles — smoked, drank more alcohol and didn’t get much physical activity, to name a few things — had a lower risk of dying from colorectal cancer when took aspirin compared to people who led healthier lifestyles. Although people with healthier lifestyles had a lower initial risk of developing colorectal cancer, taking aspirin had a greater impact on those with unhealthy lifestyles.
Does aspirin protect heart health?
Research on the use of aspirin for cardiovascular health is also mixed. Data from three large clinical trials published in 2018 found that while there was a small benefit to taking daily aspirin for heart health, there was also an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal and brain bleeding. This information was studied by the USPSTF when it made its decision recommend not taking aspirin daily, along with data from 14 other randomized controlled trials. Based on all this, the USPSTF concluded that taking aspirin daily can increase the risk of serious gastrointestinal bleeding by up to 60% and brain bleeding by up to 30%.
One 2021 to study also analyzed data from nearly 31,000 people at risk of developing heart failure and found that those who took aspirin had a 26% higher risk of heart failure than those who did not take the medication.
One analysis of three clinical trials published in February found that people who took aspirin for heart disease or stroke and then stopped taking the medication had a 28% higher risk of serious health events. As a result, researchers concluded that people already taking low-dose aspirin continue to take it unless they have significant risk factors for aspirin-related bleeding.
But because aspirin thins the blood, doctors say it still has a valid use in certain circumstances.
Who should – and shouldn’t – take aspirin daily?
Doctors still recommend taking aspirin, although this tends to occur in much more specific cases than in the past. Dr.Baltimore-area internal medicine doctor at Mercy Medical Center told Yahoo Life, “Where aspirin is used most often today is as an antiplatelet agent,” or blood thinner. Because of its blood-thinning ability, she says, “we use aspirin to treat a person when they are in the middle of a heart attack or stroke.”
Aspirin can also be used to lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke in people who have already had one, says O’Mahony. But this path is not without risks. “This medication may increase the risk of bleeding in the stomach and brain,” she notes. But for those who are at particularly high risk, “the benefit of preventing heart attacks and strokes outweighs the risks.”
Dr.hematologist and medical oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute in Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers in Orange County, California, told Yahoo Life that “certain individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease, whether at high risk for heart attack or stroke, should take aspirin” under the guidance of your doctor. “It may also be beneficial in people at high risk for colorectal cancer,” she adds.
Harb says recommendations on this issue need to be more specific – and better communicated to the public. “We are moving from generalized aspirin recommendations to a more personalized approach,” he says. “We need to do a better job of identifying the subset of patients who would truly benefit and when the benefits outweigh the risks.” The most recent colorectal cancer study came to a similar conclusion, noting that it may be better to target aspirin use in some patients at high risk for colorectal cancer rather than making a blanket recommendation.
But there are other factors to consider with aspirin use, including additional underlying health complications you may have or medications you take. “There are certain medications that interact with aspirin, such as digoxin and warfarin”, Jamie Alanassociate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University, told Yahoo Life. “There are also conditions like stomach ulcers where aspirin is not recommended.”
The end result
Doctors emphasize the importance of talking to your doctor before taking a daily dose of baby aspirin, which is typically 81 milligrams. “But sometimes in people with blood disorders, we recommend 325 milligrams,” he says. “The dose depends a lot on the patient.”
Until more research is done, the the jury is still out about whether the general population would benefit from daily use of aspirin to prevent colon cancer. For heart health in general, if you are at low risk of heart attack, the protective benefits of daily aspirin don’t get over the risks of bleeding. But if you have a higher risk of heart attack – especially if you are among the ages 40 and 59 more likely to suffer a first heart attack or stroke in the next decade – then the benefits may be greater than the bleeding risks.
Harb says a doctor can help assess your personal needs. “The risks and benefits need to be carefully evaluated,” he says.
