A new study from Johns Hopkins University has found that many older Americans are still taking a daily low-dose aspirin to prevent heart problems, even though updated health guidelines now advise against this for most people in that age group.
For decades, aspirin has been used to help prevent heart attacks and strokes. It works by thinning the blood and lowering the chance of clots forming inside the arteries.
In the past, doctors often encouraged older adults or people at higher risk of heart disease to take a small daily dose, often called “baby aspirin,” even if they had never experienced a heart attack or stroke.
But in recent years, new research has raised important concerns about this advice. While aspirin can help in some cases, it also increases the risk of serious bleeding, especially in the stomach or the brain. These bleeding risks rise sharply with age, particularly in adults over 70. Because of this, major health organizations have updated their recommendations.
In this new study, researchers analyzed health survey information from more than 7,100 Americans aged 60 and older. They paid extra attention to people aged 70 and above.
The findings were surprising: between 50% and 62% of adults in this age group were still taking aspirin every day, even though they had no history of heart disease. This means that millions of older adults may be taking aspirin in ways that updated guidelines say could be harmful.
The study also noted that adults with diabetes were just as likely as those without diabetes to take aspirin, even if they had no history of heart problems.
Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, but the updated guidelines still caution against daily aspirin use for prevention in older adults who have never had a heart attack or stroke. This suggests that many people are still following old advice without knowing that medical recommendations have changed.
Current guidelines from groups like the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology say that daily aspirin should not be used to prevent a first heart attack or stroke in people over 70. For these adults, the chance of internal bleeding may be greater than the benefit of clot prevention.
Doctors now recommend other, safer treatments for preventing heart disease in older adults. One of the most common options is statins, which lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Statins have been proven to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in many people and generally have fewer serious side effects than daily aspirin.
However, aspirin still has an important role for certain people. Adults who already have heart disease—such as those who have had a heart attack, a stroke, or who have blocked arteries—may benefit from a daily aspirin to help prevent another dangerous event. In these cases, aspirin remains an important tool.
The researchers stress that older adults should always speak with their doctor before stopping or starting aspirin.
Many people began taking aspirin years ago because of older guidelines and may not know that expert advice has changed. Every person’s health condition is different, and a doctor can help decide whether aspirin is still helpful or could cause harm.
This study is a reminder that medical guidelines evolve as new research becomes available. Something that was once considered helpful may no longer be the safest choice, especially for aging adults.
For anyone worried about heart health, the best step is to talk with a healthcare professional to make sure they are following the most up-to-date and safest treatment plan.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and results showing yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
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