Taking aspirin every day could help reduce the risk of heart attack in some cases.
New research suggests aspirin is effective in preventing heart attack in some individuals, but not all, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) news release reported. Daily aspirin use can also come with a number of side effects.
Robert Temple, M.D., deputy director for clinical science at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that every patient should speak to their healthcare provider before starting an aspirin regimen.
"Since the 1990s, clinical data have shown that in people who have experienced a heart attack, stroke or who have a disease of the blood vessels in the heart, a daily low dose of aspirin can help prevent a reoccurrence," Temple says. (A dose ranges from the 80 milligrams (mg) in a low-dose tablet to the 325 mg in a regular strength tablet.) This use is known as "secondary prevention."
After reviewing scientific data the FDA determined there is no conclusive evidence that aspirin is effective in people who have not previously had a heart attack or stroke (primary prevention). In these cases an aspirin regimen would not be worth the risk of bleeding in the brain or stomach.
Heart attacks are caused by blood clots in the coronary arteries which provide blood to the heart. Aspirin helps prevent this from happening by interfering with the way blood clots.
Caution must be taken when pairing aspirin with other blood thinners such as "warfarin, dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto) and apixiban (Eliquis)." The news release reported.
"The bottom line is that in people who have had a heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular problems, daily aspirin therapy is worth considering. And if you're thinking of using aspirin therapy, you should first talk to your health care professional to get an informed opinion," Temple said, the news release reported.
