For subscribers
Warding off first heart attack
Consult doctor before taking aspirin for primary prevention
But it still has role in preventing another heart attack or stroke
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
If your heart is set on taking aspirin to ward off a first heart attack or stroke, you may want to discuss this with your doctor again. New draft guidance from the United States - recommending that adults aged 60 and above should not take a daily dose of aspirin to prevent such an occurrence - further shows that the risks of doing so will outweigh the benefits, doctors here said.
This is because the risk of internal bleeding, which increases with age, will cancel out the benefits of preventing heart disease, the US Preventive Services Task Force said on Tuesday.
