Panel Says Aspirin Lowers Heart Attack Risk For Some - NPR

Millions of Americans take baby aspirin every day to prevent a heart attack or stroke. If they are at high risk of heart disease, they're doing the right thing, according to draft recommendations issued Monday by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

The independent panel also said that taking low-dose aspirin daily for at least 10 years may protect against colorectal cancer, at least in people who are already taking it to prevent heart attacks and stroke.

Adults between the ages of 50 and 59 who have a 10 percent or greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years benefit the most from taking about 81 milligrams of aspirin every day, the panel says.

But the potential benefit is smaller for adults between the ages of 60 and 69. And it's unknown for adults under 50 or over 70. People should talk with their health care provider to find out if they have health problems that would justify taking aspirin, according to Dr. Douglas Owens, a professor of medicine at Stanford University and a member of the task force.

For example, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, obesity, age and diabetes can all increase heart disease risk. "Because heart attacks are caused by clots in the arteries of the heart, aspirin can help prevent heart attack and it can also help prevent strokes that are caused by blood clots," Owens says.

Several groups including the American Heart Association offer online calculators to help people figure out their risk, which, along with discussion with a health care provider, can help determine whether daily aspirin might be useful.

However, there is a caveat. Daily aspirin can cause bleeding in the stomach and brain. And Owens says that people with medical conditions like ulcers, kidney problems, liver problems or bleeding disorders are more vulnerable, as are people who take blood-thinning drugs and NSAIDs.

These new recommendations aren't final, and are open to public comment. - Read More

Panel Says Aspirin Lowers Heart Attack Risk For Some

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