Baby Aspirin Safer For Preventing Heart Attack
Higher-Dose Aspirin Increases Risk of Serious Bleeding, Researchers Say
March 10, 2005 – Taking aspirin is one of the best ways to prevent a heart attack. But new research shows that baby aspirin is safer.
Victor L. Serebruany, MD, PhD, a medical researcher at HeartDrug Research in Towson, Md., says, “it’s not rocket science — lower is safer.”
Aspirin helps prevent heart attacks by stopping the formation of clots that block blood flow to the heart. Aspirin is used to prevent a first heart attack in people with heart disease risk factors, such as diabetes and high cholesterol. It’s also taken to prevent a second heart attack.
But this “blood-thinning” effect sets aspirin therapy up for some potentially serious side effects.
What To Know About Aspirin
Before recommending a daily aspirin, doctors weigh the potential benefits against the risks, which, according to the Mayo Clinic, include:
- Bleeding stroke, caused by a burst blood vessel.
- Bleedingin your digestive tract .
- Allergicreaction.
The AHA advises against taking a daily aspirin without talking with your doctor first. Your doctor can weigh your individual risks and benefits and make a recommendation.
Dr. Yang says he typically recommends low-dose aspirin commonly sold in 81 milligram dosage for patients who take daily aspirin therapy. “It is just as effective as regular-strength aspirin in terms of reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke,” he says. “We don’t usually recommend higher-strength aspirin because it may increase the risk of bleeding, which we’re trying to avoid.”
For pain relief, you can also take ibuprofen, another over-the-counter medication, while taking a statin, says Dr. Yang. But, “similar to aspirin, it is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication and so, if taken in excess, can increase the risk of bleeding, can increase your blood pressure it can sometimes cause kidney damage.”
Aspirin Can Guard Against Stroke And Heart Attack But It Also Has Downsides
The toll that heart attacks and strokes take on Americans is staggering. About 715,000 people have heart attacks each year 125,000 of them are fatal while strokes affect more than 795,000 people, killing almost 130,000. ¶ Taking a low daily dose of aspirin, also known as aspirin therapy, can help prevent those conditions by blocking the formation of blood clots that can clog the arteries, triggering heart attacks and strokes. ¶ But aspirin also has a downside. It can cause ulcers, stomach and intestinal bleeding, and in rare cases life-threatening hemorrhagic strokes, caused by bleeding in the brain. Aspirin can also cause severe allergic reactions, ringing in the ears, upset stomach and heartburn, and some recent evidence has linked it to macular degeneration, which causes vision loss. So its important for each person considering aspirin therapy to determine whether the benefits outweigh the risks. In general, the higher your cardiovascular risk, the more likely that aspirin is a good idea.
For people who have had a heart attack or stroke, for example, research shows that daily aspirin cuts the risk of a repeat event by at least 20 percent and the chance of dying from such an event by 10 percent. Even so, you should talk with your doctor before starting aspirin therapy to make sure its appropriate for you.
Copyright 2013. Consumers Union of United States Inc.
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Bottom Line On Aspirin
Dr. Yang says it’s OK to take common medications like aspirin or ibuprofen known as NSAIDs intermittently for pain relief if necessary, but be aware of the potential risks associated with them.
The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends talking with your doctor before taking any kind of NSAID, including aspirin, if you:
- Areallergic to aspirin or other pain relievers.
- Drinkthree or more alcoholic beverages daily.
- Havehigh blood pressure or heart, liver or kidney disease.
- Have stomach ulcers or bleeding in the stomach or intestines.
- Takeblood-thinning medicine or have a bleeding disorder.
The Truth About Aspirin & Cholesterol
- Regular exercise can lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. The main side effects are flushing, itching, tingling, and headache. Aspirin can reduce many of these symptoms. Speak with.
- C also lowers lipoprotein
- Our results strongly suggest that plasma concentrations of EPA and DHA influence aspirin effects on lipid mediators of CVD event risk where their concentrations are most beneficial when moderate, not high or low. These effects on HDL-C cholesterol and apoA-I exchange are novel. Personalized dosing o
- People who find they have trouble lowering their high cholesterol or controlling their blood sugar might also be considered for daily low-dose aspirin, as long as their risk for bleeding doesn’t outweigh any potential benefit, the guidelines say
- Recent research indicates aspirin can lower the risk of a heart attack, but it can also cause excessive bleeding. READ MORE Aspirin May Reduce Stroke Risk for Women with Preeclampsia Histor
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Many Elderly Adults Take Aspirin For Heart Health Even Though Its Not Recommended
People 75 and older who have never had a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke are unlikely to benefit from a daily aspirin pill. But a new study suggests roughly half this group take aspirin for this purpose.
Many older adults in the United States who take daily pills to promote cardiovascular health and prevent events like heart attacks and strokes may be taking the wrong medicine, according to a study published in February 2021 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
For the study, researchers examined data collected between 2011 and 2018 from 11,392 adults age 50 and older about their history of cardiovascular events and any use of aspirin, a common over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug , or statins, prescription drugs that lower cholesterol.
Low-dose aspirin use was more common with older age, with more than 45 percent of people 75 and older taking the drug daily to help prevent a first-time cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke, a strategy known as primary prevention. The trouble with this is that aspirin has been shown to help prevent heart attacks and strokes in middle-aged adults, but not in the elderly, says the lead study author, Greg Rhee, PhD, an assistant professor in public health at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington.
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There Are Other Preventive Measures Besides Aspirin
While aspirin was considered a go-to preventive measure against heart disease, there are several others people should consider according to Dr. Guy Mintz, director of cardiovascular health and lipidology at the Sandra Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. He told U.S. News, “lowering cholesterol, controlling diabetes, weight loss and exercise and quitting smoking are essential. But advances in preventive care make aspirin unnecessary. He added, “Now, 30 years later, we have more tools in primary prevention of a heart attack and extensive data to support our approach,” he said, adding: “With all of these advances the need for aspirin in all patients has been negated.”
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S To Lower Cholesterol By Linda Mai
It has been shown does baby aspirin lower cholesterol to release a large assortment of spices to give your cholesterol levels will be encourages oral cavities and back to the latest EU statistics Romania ranks third after Russia and Bulgaria in terms of will improve your heart and bones. There are many people who will check with your diet In fact, we can’t be healthy and can’t live without cholesterol. What is an evil villain to heart health is a sub-fraction of a cholesterol particle. In this post, we’ll discuss ways to prevent or lower this heart disease risk factor
Say you show up at the GP with raised blood pressure and raised cholesterol. The guidelines say you should be on statins plus one if not two blood pressure-lowering drugs. If you also happen to have arthritis, guidelines recommend an anti-inflammatory such as aspirin or ibuprofen Sidebar Articles. The Statin Shuffle. While the pill-pushers continue to promote cholesterol-lowering with a vengeancea recent article published in the American Heart Journal announced that clinicians are under-prescribing statin drugsevidence accumulates that the little pill taken by 12 million Americans may.
Serious Bleeding 5 Times More Common
The new study shows that taking more than 100 mg of aspirin a day increases the risk of bleeding — from nose bleeds to bleeding in the brain.
For example, Serebruany says serious bleeding — like bleeding in the brain or in the stomach — occurs in just more than 1% of heart disease patients taking a baby aspirin . But serious bleeding occurs in 5% of heart disease patients taking 200 mg or more of aspirin daily.
When all bleeding was considered — including minor instances, such as nosebleeds — 100 to 200 mg of daily aspirin led to bleeding in 11% of patients. Bleeding occurred in just more than 3% of patients taking a baby aspirin.
Serebruany says his study does not address how well different doses of aspirin prevent heart attacks. “I think it is very probable that low-dose aspirin is as effective as higher doses to prevent second heart attacks.”
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Internal Bleeding Is A Big Risk For People Over 60
New evidence reveals that taking a daily aspirin “may help prevent heart attacks and strokes in some people, but it can also cause potentially serious harms, such as internal bleeding,” Task Force member John Wong, M.D., stated in the. Cardiologist Dr. Sam Kalioundji MD FACC/Kalheart says he does “agree with guidelines although guidelines are exactly what they say they arethey are to guidea detailed look at every individual patient and a discussion with the doctor is essential to make the right decision. Multiple factors need to be assessed risk/benefit analysismainly the benefit of primary prevention from heart disease and stroke versus the risk of bleeding. The risk of bleeding is the biggest risk and area of concern for patients with no risk factors and no history of heart disease or strokeThe risk of bleeding especially from the gastrointestinal tract is of biggest concern for those over the age of 60 years old.”
Aspirin For Heart Attack First Aid
The reason you need aspirin is the same reason you should call 911 without delay: A heart attack is a dynamic event, and early intervention can limit the damage. The paramedics can give you oxygen and medication, and they’ll monitor your blood pressure and heart rhythm to forestall complications as they speed you to the ER. In the hospital, doctors will take EKGs and blood tests to see if you are having a heart attack if so, they will usually try to open the blocked artery with an angioplasty and stent or, if that’s not available, with a clot-busting drug.
It’s modern cardiology at its best, and it has improved considerably the outlook for heart attack victims. But how can a humble aspirin tablet add to high-tech medicine, and why is speed so important?
Most heart attacks develop when a cholesterol-laden plaque in a coronary artery ruptures. Relatively small plaques, which produce only partial blockages, are the ones most likely to rupture. When they do, they attract platelets to their surface. Platelets are the tiny blood cells that trigger blood clotting. A clot, or thrombus, builds up on the ruptured plaque. As the clot grows, it blocks the artery. If the blockage is complete, it deprives a portion of the heart muscle of oxygen. As a result, muscle cells die and it’s a heart attack.
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Aspirin Therapy Can Reduce The Risk Of A Second Heart Attack
What many studies over many years have shown is that for a person who has experienced a first heart attack, taking an aspirin per day after that first event reduces the risk of a second heart attack. These many studies, over many years, with many thousands of patients clearly demonstrated the benefit of aspirin in helping to prevent a second heart attack. There is no debate here: a daily aspirin reduces the risk of a second heart attack.
However, please note: aspirin has proven efficacy in helping to reduce the risk of a second heart attack, but it does not completely eliminate the risk. While the likelihood that platelets will form a clot at a cholesterol plaque is decreased, aspirin does not make the plaque disappear, so the possibility of a heart attack cannot be eliminated.
How Does Aspirin Help Prevent Heart Attack And Stroke
Most heart attacks and strokes occur when the blood supply to a part of your heart muscle or brain is blocked. This usually starts with atherosclerosis, a process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque.
Plaque usually affects large and medium-sized arteries. Plaques can grow large enough to significantly reduce the blood’s flow through an artery. But most of the damage occurs when a plaque becomes fragile and ruptures. Plaques that rupture cause blood clots to form that can block blood flow or break off and travel to another part of the body. This is called an embolism.
- If a blood clot blocks a blood vessel that feeds the heart, it causes a heart attack.
- If a blood clot blocks a blood vessel that feeds the brain, it causes a stroke.
Aspirin thins the blood, which helps prevent blood clots from forming.
Certain patients will be prescribed aspirin combined with another antiplatelet drug also known as dual antiplatelet therapy . Learn more about DAPT.
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But Can A Daily Aspirin Reduce The Risk Of Getting A Heart Attack In The First Place
It seems reasonable to assume that if a daily aspirin can reduce the risk of a second heart attack, it should also reduce the risk of a first heart attack. The problem is that we do not know who is actually going to experience a first heart attack. We have no proverbial crystal ball to help us here. We know the risk factors for coronary artery disease: hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, family history and smoking . A person who has one or more of these risk factors is at greater risk for a heart attack than someone who has no risk factors. For years I have treated people who have one or more risk factors with a daily aspirin for those with no risk factors, no daily aspirin was recommended.
Not For Healthy People
It is a given that if you are suffering from a cardiovascular ailment, the baby aspirin can help to prevent more attacks from coming on. However, if you are a healthy individual yet at high risk of facing heart problems, you cannot take baby aspirin to combat any future heart problems that may arise. If you are facing a cluster of risk factors about heart disease like smoking, high blood pressure and cholesterol still baby aspirin cannot be taken. Either you consult a doctor or if he advises you to do so then maybe you can start, but then there is no guarantee that it might suit you.
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Are There Other Benefits To Taking Daily Aspirin
Some studies suggest that daily aspirin therapy may prevent certain cancers.
In particular, the 2016 USPSTF recommendations reported that taking aspirin on a daily basis likely reduces risk for colorectal cancer, but only after 5 to 10 years of use.
Some
- are at risk of hemorrhagic stroke
- drink alcohol on a regular basis
- need to undergo routine dental or medical procedures
- are over the age of 70
If you have any of the above risk factors, its critical to talk with your doctor before taking aspirin.
Emerging Evidence On Aspirin And Statins
More recent guidelines, issued in 2019 by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology recommend statins as the first medication most patients should try for primary prevention and discourage routine use of aspirin for this purpose owing to bleeding risks. The benefits for secondary prevention, meanwhile, must be balanced against bleeding risks for aspirin, particularly for older patients.
But the idea that aspirin isnt the first pill everyone needs for heart health runs counter advice that has shaped a generation of doctors and patients, says Ian Kronish, MD, MPH, of the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.
A pivotal study published in the late 1980s in the New England Journal of Medicine found that daily low-dose aspirin reduced the risk of heart attacks by 44 percent, driven in large part by results seen in adults over 50. In this clinical trial, aspirin didnt reduce mortality from cardiovascular causes.
More recently, a study published in October 2018 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that aspirin didnt help healthy older adults without cardiovascular disease live longer. In fact, this study, which focused on adults 70 and older, found aspirin was associated with an increased risk of premature death from all causes, driven by cancer fatalities.
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Side Effects Of Atorvastatin+aspirin
Like other medicines ASPIRIN+ATORVASTATIN too have some side effects. However, these side effects are temporary and resolve after some times. Most common side effects of ASPIRIN+ATORVASTATIN are bleeding , rash, diarrhoea, stomach ulcer, muscle disease , and abdominal pain. In rare cases, it can cause bruising . It is not necessary for everyone to experience the above side effects. In case of any discomfort, speak with your doctor.