Because of bleeding risks, some guidelines say that people age 60 and older without known heart or blood vessel disease should not start taking a daily aspirin to prevent a first-time heart attack or stroke.
"What we found is that compared to older studies, aspirin appears to have less benefit from cardiovascular disease," Dr. John Wong, a physician at Tufts Medical Center and a member of the task force, told NPR in November. "And there's an increasing risk of bleeding as people age," he says.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a panel of physicians who review scientific research to develop guidelines to improve Americans' health, published new recommendations on April 26 advising against daily aspirin use for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in people age 60 and older.
Like most medicines, aspirin has side effects. It irritates your stomach lining and can trigger gastrointestinal upset, ulcers and bleeding. And, because it thins your blood, it can be dangerous for people who are at higher risk of bleeding.
Aspirin has been linked with Reye's syndrome, so use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers for fever or pain. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 3, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin.
Some medical conditions, such as pregnancy, uncontrolled high blood pressure, bleeding disorders, asthma, peptic (stomach) ulcers, liver and kidney disease, could make aspirin a bad choice for you.
The elderly, especially those with complicated medical histories, are more prone to the adverse effects of salicylates and may develop gastrointestinal tract bleeding, renal insufficiency, asthma and CNS toxicity.
The USPSTF now recommends against its use for prevention of a first heart attack or stroke in people aged 60 years or older with no clinical evidence or history of vascular disease.
Like aspirin, ginger works as a blood thinner which can prevent the formation of clots that can lead to heart attack or stroke. Ginger also reduces inflammation in the same way as aspirin by blocking COX-2 — the enzyme that promotes inflammation.
What should people over age 60 do if they're confused about baby aspirin? If you are confused about whether you are at greater risk for heart attacks and stroke, talk with your doctor. Many patients will still be recommended to continue taking low-dose daily aspirin.
You'll usually take a dose of 75mg once a day. Sometimes, doses are higher. It's best to take low-dose aspirin with food so it does not upset your stomach. Only take low-dose aspirin if your doctor or midwife recommends it, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Aspirin helps thin the blood to avoid further blood clots. A low dose of daily aspirin has also been shown to reduce the risk of a first heart attack or stroke for people who are at high risk for these conditions.
Another study found that regular users of aspirin were twice as likely to have wet AMD over the long-term than those not taking it regularly.
Bleeding — The main problem that aspirin can cause is internal bleeding. Most often, it causes bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract (primarily the stomach and small intestines) that is not usually fatal. But bleeding can also occur at other sites, with bleeding in the brain being the most serious.
Aspirin isn't commonly known to affect blood pressure. But it does come with a higher risk of bleeding. There are a few groups of people who may benefit from taking low-dose aspirin (81 mg per day). This includes people who've previously had a heart attack or stroke.
Does aspirin thin your blood? Yes. Medications that are called blood thinners, work to prevent blood clotting and help the blood flow more smoothly. Aspirin blocks blood cells, called platelets, from clumping together and forming blood clots.
NA-NSAIDs included celecoxib, diclofenac, etodolac, fenoprofen, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, ketorolac, meclofenamate, mefenamic acid, nabumatone, naproxen/naproxen sodium, rofecoxib, sulindac, valdecoxib, or other NA-NSAIDs.
Ibuprofen is an NSAID that is now available without a prescription for control of aches, pains, fever, and menstrual cramps. (Some brand-name examples are Advil and Nuprin.) The benefits of this drug are similar to those of aspirin, but overdoses are less likely to cause serious illness than are overdoses of aspirin.
Adults who took aspirin were 20% more likely to be anemic than those who didn't take it. Based on their results, the researchers estimated that 24% of seniors in the daily aspirin group would develop anemia within five years, compared with 20% of those in the placebo group.
Side effects of aspirin
Like all medications, there's a risk of side effects from aspirin. The most common side effects are: indigestion and stomach aches – taking your medicine with food may help reduce this risk. bleeding or bruising more easily than normal.
One baby aspirin per day (81 milligrams) is enough to help prevent heart attack or stroke. Higher doses will increase your risk of bleeding. If you do not have many risk factors for heart disease, are older, or have a high risk of life-threatening bleeding, then aspirin therapy may not be right for you.
Liver injury from high doses of aspirin is usually mild and self-limited. Symptoms attributable to liver injury (as opposed to the other side effects of aspirin itself) are common but generally nonspecific and mild.
Older adults should consider it carefully because aspirin can affect the kidneys. As we age, our kidneys grow less able to filter our blood. So, medicines that are cleared by the kidneys, including aspirin, can accumulate in the body.