Many older people in the United States are still taking a low-dose aspirin every day to stop their first heart attack or stroke. But recent health advice says this may not be a good idea.
A new study from Johns Hopkins University found that many Americans aged 70 and older continue to use aspirin to protect their hearts, even though they have never had any heart problems.
The researchers looked at health survey data from over 7,100 adults aged 60 and older. They found that people in their 70s were especially likely to take aspirin daily.
For people with diabetes, which raises the risk of heart problems, 62% were taking aspirin. But even people without diabetes were taking it—almost half of them. The study estimated that nearly 10 million older Americans who have never had a heart attack, stroke, or serious heart disease are still using aspirin for prevention.
This is a problem because medical advice has changed. Doctors now say that adults over 70 should not take aspirin regularly if they have never had heart issues. Aspirin helps stop blood clots, which can cause heart attacks.
But it also makes your blood thinner. That increases the chance of dangerous bleeding, especially in the stomach or brain. As people age, their risk of bleeding gets higher, making aspirin more risky than helpful.
In the past, experts said people with high risk—such as those with high blood pressure, diabetes, or who smoked—should take aspirin to prevent heart attacks. But recent research shows the benefits are smaller than we once thought, and the bleeding risks may be more serious. This is especially true for older adults.
Now, top heart health organizations, including the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, recommend a more careful approach.
People between the ages of 40 and 70 might still benefit from aspirin if they are at high risk of heart disease and not likely to bleed. But for people over 70 who have never had heart problems, the advice is not to take aspirin daily.
However, for those who already had a heart attack or stroke, or who have known heart disease, aspirin is still a helpful and proven treatment. In those cases, the good effects are clear and usually greater than the risks.
The study team, led by Dr. Rita Kalyani, thinks many older adults started taking aspirin years ago when it was recommended. They may not know the advice has changed. These people should talk to their doctor to see if they still need aspirin every day.
There are other medicines, like statins, that lower bad cholesterol. Statins have stronger proof that they help prevent heart problems before they happen. Doctors now often suggest statins instead of aspirin for people with risk factors who have never had heart disease.
This study was published in JAMA Network Open. It reminds us that medical advice can change over time. It’s important to talk to your doctor regularly, especially about medications you’ve been taking for a long time.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about how espresso coffee affects your cholesterol level, and results showing Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.
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