Millions of older Americans are taking daily doses of aspirin to lower their risk of heart attack or stroke for the first time — even though they’re not. A new study found.
One-third of adults age 60 and older without cardiovascular disease took aspirin by 2021. According to findings published Monday In Annals of Internal Medicine. Previous research shows that daily use of aspirin It can increase the risk of internal bleeding.
Cardiovascular disease refers to a number of conditions including heart failure, heart failure, heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart defects, high blood pressure and high blood pressure. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US, and stroke is the fifth leading cause of death.
Aspirin has been praised for its ability to prevent platelets from sticking together and forming blood clots that can trigger a heart attack or stroke.
However, recent studies Benefits are weakened by the risk Bleeding in the brain or stomach – and Guidelines have been updated. To prevent daily aspirin use in people over 60 who are considered to be at low or moderate risk of heart disease.
Aspirin is still recommended For people who have had a stroke, heart attack or other heart problem.
Aspirin use declined from 2018 to 2019 after the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association changed their recommendations, the authors of the study published Monday.
Still, the researchers estimated that 18.5 million Americans 60 and older would take aspirin by 2021.
The authors of the study call for an “urgent need” for doctors to ask their elderly patients about the use of aspirin and explain the benefits and risks.