The aspirin mistake: 29 million take it daily, not realizing costs outweigh benefits
The decades-old medical advice that an aspirin a day keeps a heart attack away is outdated. Yet about half of U.S. adults are unaware that the consensus has changed for healthy older people not at increased risk of heart disease, a new survey says, a misconception that could be putting them in danger.
Nearly one in two respondents (48%) wrongly said that the benefits of taking low-dose aspirin daily to lower one’s odds of having a stroke or heart attack outweigh the risks, according to a survey published Feb. 3 by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the University of Pennsylvania. Another 39% of the more than 1,700 respondents were unsure; just 13% correctly indicated that the risks are now thought to prevail over the benefits.
Because aspirin is a blood thinner, it can help prevent clogged arteries, thereby lowering the risk of stroke or heart attack. However, the over-the-counter medication comes with an increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and may not be the safest prevention strategy for everyone.
In 2019, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology announced these new guidelines surrounding daily low-dose aspirin (75–100 mg) and cardiovascular disease prevention:
Adults 71+: Not recommended
All adults at increased risk of bleeding: Not recommended
Adults 40–70 at higher risk of heart disease but not bleeding: May be considered
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force took things a step further in 2022, discouraging all adults 60 and older from using aspirin as the primary prevention of heart disease. (Be sure to speak with your health care provider before starting or stopping an aspirin regimen.)
“Habits backed by conventional wisdom and the past advice of health care providers are hard to break,” APPC director Kathleen Hall Jamieson, PhD, said in a news release about the survey. “Knowing whether taking a low-dose aspirin daily is advisable or not for you is vital health information.”
Among survey respondents with no personal or family history of stroke or heart attack, adults 60 and older (57%) were most likely to say the benefits of aspirin outweigh its risks, while those 18 to 39 were least likely (24%). Similarly, the oldest respondents were least likely (7%) to correctly say the risks overshadow the benefits, while the youngest were most likely (29%).
View this interactive chart on Fortune.com
For more on heart health:
Your resting heart rate can tell you a lot about your health. Here’s what your pulse should be at every age
Hypertension is a ‘silent killer.’ Here’s what your blood pressure should be at every age
When’s the last time you were angry? Just recalling the experience may be detrimental to your heart health, study says
Sugar substitute xylitol may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, new study shows. What to know about the low-calorie sweetener
Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian calls this ‘the highest ROI $100 you can spend on your health.’ Here’s what to know about the calcium score test’s benefits
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
