Health task force no longer recommends aspirin to prevent heart attack, stroke

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) no longer recommends taking aspirin daily to prevent a first heart attack or stroke among people 60 and older.
• The updated guidance said people 40 to 59 should only take aspirin if they have a high risk of heart disease.
• The USPSTF also said that there is little benefit in continuing aspirin beyond the age of 75 years old.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) no longer recommends taking aspirin daily to prevent a first heart attack or stroke among people 60 and older. Also, the updated guidance recommends that people 40 to 59 should only take aspirin if they have a high risk of cardiovascular disease, and in consultation with a physician. Health experts believe there is little benefit in taking aspirin for people beyond the age of 75.

Cardiovascular disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in the United States.

Doctors have been recommending people in their 50s start taking aspirin daily to lower the chance of having a first heart attack or stroke. However, it can increase the risk for bleeding in the brain, stomach and intestines. The risk of a bleeding event is low but it increases with age. The risk of internal bleeding outweighs the benefits.

“People who are 40 to 59 years old and don’t have a history of cardiovascular disease but are at higher risk may benefit from starting to take aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke,” task force member Dr. John Wong, interim Chief Scientific Officer and Professor of Medicine at Tufts Medical Center, told ABC News. “It’s important that they decide together with their healthcare professional if starting aspirin is right for them because daily aspirin does come with possible serious harms.”

The task force clarified that the new guidelines were intended for people who have not yet started taking a daily aspirin. The updated guidance does not impose people should stop taking it if prescribed by a doctor.

The guidelines remain for people who have had a heart attack, stroke or other major cardiovascular problem. The recommendation for using aspirin to prevent a second event remains strong.

Guidelines on taking daily aspirin to prevent disease have changed in recent years. In 2016, health experts recommended people in their 50s at risk for heart disease take aspirin to protect them from both cardiovascular disease and colon cancer. However, updated guidelines conclude that the best way to prevent colon cancer is routine screening beginning at the age of 45.

Source: AOL