An Aspirin a Day? Recent Researchers Weigh In
Q. I am 77 years old and was just diagnosed with an ulcer. The doctor said it probably was caused by taking too much aspirin, which I took for arthritis and to ward off the possible threat of a heart attack. So I guess I’m going to avoid aspirin, but I’m a little more worried about a new challenge with my mobility and the threat of a heart attack. Any recommendations?
It’s understandable to feel some concern, but be sure to follow your doctor’s orders. Check with your physician about other ways to manage your arthritis pain. What’s more, the medical world might be looking at aspirin differently in evaluating it as a preventative for heart attack or stroke in seniors like you.
People without a history of cardiovascular disease are unlikely to benefit from a regular dose of aspirin, given the associated risk of internal bleeding, according to a recent study. Aspirin does reduce the risk of clots forming in blood vessels and thereby protects against heart disease and stroke, but maybe less than previously thought.
This is the finding of the largest study to date into the effects of aspirin in people without established cardiovascular conditions. Aspirin is widely used to prevent a repeat heart attack or stroke among people who have already suffered from one of these conditions, known in the medical field as secondary prevention.
Many medical experts also have prescribed regular aspirin as a primary prevention technique – a precaution among people without a previous history of heart attack or stroke, but who may be considered at increased risk of these conditions.
The lead author of the report, Dr. Rao Seshasai of St. George’s University of London, emphasized that people with an established history of heart conditions must not stop taking their medication.
For more information or to get answers to your questions, please contact your Home Instead Senior Care office in The Greater Phoenix, AZ area. We can be reached via email at education@homeinstead.com.
The results of the study are published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, online at http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/archinternmed.2011.628.