Millions of seniors pop aspirin every day, hoping to stave off heart attacks, but mounting evidence suggests that many are needlessly putting themselves at risk of potentially life-threatening bleeding.
A new poll reveals that more than half of older Americans taking aspirin have no history of cardiovascular disease and are taking the over-the-counter drug based on antiquated advice that the benefits outweigh the dangers for most older adults.
Rethinking Aspirin Use and Recommendations
The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 57 percent of people ages 50 to 80 who take aspirin have no history of cardiovascular disease, which includes several heart and blood vessel problems. Only 11 percent of those taking aspirin as a preventive measure had such a history.
A.C. Dahnke
Author
A.C. Dahnke is a freelance writer and editor residing in California. She has covered community journalism and health care news for nearly a decade, winning a California Newspaper Publishers Award for her work.
