Routine use of aspirin to prevent heart attacks or strokes should be stopped, US panel says

A panel of experts tasked with making recommendations on patient care said doctors should no longer routinely prescribe a daily dose of aspirin to people at high risk for heart attacks.

The proposed recommendation of the US Task Force on Prevention Services says evidence now suggests that patients aged 60 and over should not take low-dose aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease.

For these patients, the potential side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding, are too high to overcome the cardiovascular benefits, the panel said.

Patients between the ages of 40 and 59, meanwhile, should decide with their doctor if their individual circumstances require taking an aspirin daily, according to the proposed guidelines.

This is the first time the panel has recommended adults in their 40s talk to their doctors about taking aspirin for cardiovascular disease, CNN said.

“The latest evidence is clear: It is not recommended to start a daily aspirin regimen in people 60 years of age or older to prevent a first heart attack or stroke,” said Dr Chien-Wen Tseng , panel member, in a press release. “However, this task force recommendation is not intended for people already taking aspirin for a previous heart attack or stroke; they should continue to do so, unless instructed otherwise by their clinician.

Aspirin, which helps prevent blood clots, has long been recommended for patients at risk for heart disease. A clot that affects blood flow to the heart can lead to a heart attack, while a clot that affects blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke.

But preventing blood clotting may have a negative side effect, NBC News explained. It can prevent the body from stopping bleeding from a wound. New evidence reviewed by the panel suggests that the risk of bleeding from aspirin outweighs the benefits of preventing blood clots in the heart or brain.

“Aspirin is only of benefit if someone has an increased risk of heart disease,” Dr. Tseng said. “They shouldn’t start just because they’ve reached a certain age.”

The recommendations could affect up to 29 million people, NBC said, the number of adults who regularly take aspirin to prevent heart disease despite no history.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, Centers for Disease Control says, killing over 650,000 people each year.