The risks of too much or not enough low-dose aspirin
When you pop an aspirin, you're taking the world's most widely used medication, according to a study in Vascular Pharmacology. It's been a favorite for 3,500 years, ever since Sumerians and Egyptians used willow bark (it has aspirin's active ingredient in it) to treat pain and fevers. But it is important that it be taken correctly -- otherwise, it can cause risky bleeding and gastrointestinal distress or, conversely, you may miss the chance to avoid blood clots, heart attack and stroke.
A study in JAMA shows that many folks who are on Medicaid or who don't have insurance are taking low-dose aspirin when it offers them no benefit -- and comes with risks. And, ironically, at the same time, folks who have atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and are rated at a 10% or higher 10-year risk for a dangerous cardiac event are taking low-dose aspirin less frequently than they need to reduce their risk.
So, who should take low-dose aspirin regularly? It's an individual decision, but generally, it's recommended for folks who have had -- or are at great risk for -- a heart attack or stroke, not for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, if you're ages 40-79, your doc can use an Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Calculator to determine if aspirin will benefit you. The calculator evaluates your age, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels and whether your mother or father had a heart attack before age 60 and then ranks your risk level. Bonus: For maximum heart-health support, read "The Great Age Reboot."
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).
(c)2025 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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