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Taking a daily aspirin to prevent heart disease and strokes is no longer recommended for most adults, according to an independent panel of health experts.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announcedchanges to its guidancearound the use of aspirin on Tuesday after new evidence showed it can “cause harm” to some older individuals.
Doctors should no longer recommend a daily low dose of aspirin to those age 60 and older to prevent cardiovascular disease, according to the panel.
Those ages 40 to 59 should discuss whether taking a low dose of aspirin daily is right for them, whether or not they have a history of heart disease.
Doctors previously recommended a daily aspirin regimen for those age 50 and over who were at higher risk for heart attacks or stroke over the next decade without an increased risk for bleeding.
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“This [revised] recommendation only applies to people who are at higher risk for CVD [cardiovascular disease], have no history of CVD, and are not already taking daily aspirin,” the task force said in their bulletin.
Based on new evidence, the panel says individuals should not consider beginning a daily aspirin regimen once they reach 60 years old due to the increased risk of bleeding, which the experts say “cancels out the benefits of preventing heart disease.”
Other potentially “serious” complications include bleeding in the stomach, intestines, and brain, which can be life-threatening.
The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiologymade a similar joint decisionin 2019 in which they recommended those ages 70 and older not take aspirin daily due to a high risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, according to NBC News.
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“Aspirin only has a benefit if someone is at increased risk for heart disease. They shouldn’t be starting just because they have reached a certain age,” Dr. Chien-Wen Tseng, a member of the 16-person panel, told the outlet.
Heart disease and stroke are among the leading causes of death in the U.S., accounting for roughly one in three deaths in the country.
source: people.com
