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Prescription Sleep Medicine
Aspirin Guidelines Revised
Posted by sleepyguy in Prescription Sleep Medicine on February 22nd, 2011
Aspirin happens to be the most used drug worldwide to prevent heart attack and stroke with more than one-third of U.S. adults on daily aspirin doses. The conclusion to the debate about whether or not you should take a daily dose of aspirin and how much and how often is becoming more clear but it is not quite complete.
Guidelines released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) offer new recommendations that address such issues as age, gender, possible complications and gastrointestinal bleeding. The guidelines were published in the March 17, 2009 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The major point the task force makes is that lower doses of aspirin appear to be as effective as higher doses and safer at preventing heart attacks and strokes. Specific recommendations are: For men ages 45 to 79 to take aspirin if there are benefits in preventing heart attacks which outweigh the risks of gastrointestinal bleeding. For women ages 55 to 79 who should consider taking aspirin to reduce their chances of stroke more than the risks of GI bleeding. Women younger than 55 and men younger than 45 who haven’t previously had a heart attack or stroke are advised not to take aspirin for prevention.
In other words, the benefits of aspirin use always have to be balanced against the risks. If a patient has low risk of events in the future, aspirin should not be prescribed. If the risk is very high then aspirin is clearly needed. In addition, lower doses of daily aspirin are equally if not more effective in preventing heart attack and stroke in at-risk individuals as are higher doses.
One key finding of the Women’s Health Initiative is that aspirin did not prevent first heart attacks in women but it did reduce the risk of stroke. Earlier studies, involving just men, showed aspirin did just the opposite.
There are, however, some differences of opinion. The American Heart Association says all women over 65, regardless of their cardiovascular risk status, should take aspirin.
What everyone does agree upon is that whatever you do and whatever your dosage, work with your doctor.
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