November - 4 - 2009
For healthy people, the risks of taking aspirin to prevent a heart attack outweigh the benefits, researchers say. Studies have shown that aspirin can help ward off a second heart attack or stroke for people who have already had one. However, because of the risk of internal bleeding, aspirin should not be taken as a preventive measure in people with no signs of cardiovascular disease. With the latest advice, Dr. Ike Iheanacho said that patients who have already had cardiovascular issues should continue to take aspirin if their doctors have prescribed it. However, in an editorial published in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, Dr. Iheanacho, editor of the Bulletin, said: "Current evidence for primary prevention suggests the benefits and harms of aspirin in this setting may be more finely balanced than previously thought, even in individuals estimated to be at high risk of experiencing cardiovascular events, including those with diabetes or elevated blood pressure."