Harvard study suggests millions of people waste time taking aspirin – BGR



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If you take aspirin every day to reduce your risk of heart attack, even if you have never had heart problems, a new Harvard study suggests that you do not do favors. In fact, it would seem that millions of people taking low-dose aspirin regularly without a doctor recommending them to do so rely on outdated advice.

Many doctors recommend daily administration of aspirin to patients with a history of heart attack or stroke (stroke) or at a significantly increased risk of developing these conditions. However, millions of healthy people, especially the elderly, take aspirin daily because they believe it will reduce their risk of developing health problems in the future. This myth has since been debunked, but not everyone has understood the message.

The study, which used survey data from recent years to paint a clearer picture of the use of aspirin by the public, shows that a considerable number many people take aspirin while there is no clear medical benefit. About 10 million people over the age of 70 with no history of heart disease continue to take aspirin daily as a primary preventative measure.

The American Heart Association rejected the recommendations regarding the daily use of aspirin at the beginning of the year, noting that people over 70 who do not have heart disease should avoid daily aspirin. The update also clarified that daily use of aspirin should only be considered for people aged 40 to 70 who are at high risk of developing heart problems, and only on the advice of a doctor.

The advice for those with a history of heart attack or stroke has not changed and aspirin is always recommended with the approval of a doctor.

The confusion is understandable, especially since doctors have recommended for many years the regular use of aspirin in the elderly, even if they had no risk of heart disease. Now that we know more about the risks and benefits, doctors are trying to turn the tide.

Image source: imageBROKER / REX / Shutterstock

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