Dangerous Daily Aspirin?

There is an article in the WSJ about the dangers of taking a daily aspirin. It states that many people have been following the guidelines to take a low dose or "baby" aspirin to reduce the chance of heart attack or stroke. It cites from IMS Health that 44 million packages of low dose aspirin were purchased over the previous 12 months ending this past September - a 12% increase from 2005.

New research suggests normal, healthy adults may be doing more harm than good by following this regimen. The risks are the side effects caused by aspirin which can cause a depletion of the stomach's protective lining which can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding, bleeding ulcers, and bleeding of the brain. There is also controversy over what is right for each sex.

What guidelines are you following? According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, men age 45 to 79 with elevated heart-disease risk due to high cholesterol levels and who are smokers, should take a daily aspirin. Women, age 55 to 79 who are in danger of an ischemic stroke due to high blood pressure and diabetes, should take a daily aspirin. The best advice in my opinion is always to talk to your own doctor to determine what is right for you!

Carleton


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