Author: Erin Elizabeth

After years of suggesting that old adults could benefit from a daily 75- to 100-milligram dose of aspirin to help fight cardiovascular problems, the American Heart Association “along with the America College of Cardiology released the findings of a clinical trial that found aspirin did not prolong life in elderly adults who do not have the highest risks of heart disease.”1 In fact, the findings suggest that not only was the aspirin not as effective as previously believed but that a daily dose could potentially lead to major bleeding in the elderly. One less pill to swallow. Dr. Roger Blumenthal, co-chair of the 2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, and professor of cardiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore said, “Clinicians should be very selective in prescribing aspirin for people without known cardiovascular disease. It’s much more important to optimize lifestyle habits and control blood pressure and cholesterol as opposed to recommending aspirin. Aspirin should be limited to people at the highest risk of cardiovascular disease and a very low risk of bleeding.”1 The new guidelines did say that those who have had a heart attack or stroke could still use aspirin to prevent another cardiovascular event. Do you know what this is? More proof that in medicine, one size does not fit all. SOURCE: AJC, Atlanta News...