After years of recommending regular aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke, scientists now see little benefit for most healthy people, and say it may contribute to a risk of bleeding in your stomach or brain that goes up as you get older. The U.S. Preventive Service Task Force has finalized its latest recommendations on low-dose aspirin regimens and now says people over 60 should not start taking a daily aspirin for primary prevention of heart problems, in most cases. Adults between 40 and 59 should talk with their physician for guidance. "If you are really healthy, if you're a healthy 40-year-old with no major risk factors, you will do more harm than good with daily aspirin. Your risk of bleeding will exceed the benefits," Dr. Steven Nissen, chair of cardiovascular medicine at Cleveland Clinic, who was not involved in the new guidelines, told CNN. "People need to understand that aspirin is not a completely benign or innocent therapy."
NCPA
