Daily aspirin no longer recommended for heart health

March 27, 2019 The Seniors Trust

The Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, issued by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, is no longer recommending a daily low-dose aspirin for heart health. Low dose aspirin had been the recommendation for years as a preventative measure against heart attacks and strokes. But a new study – the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) Study – discovered that an aspirin regime is not only ineffective, but can actually lead to a higher chance of hemorrhaging.

“It’s much more important to optimize lifestyle habits and control blood pressure and cholesterol as opposed to recommending aspirin,” said Johns Hopkins cardiologist Dr. Roger Blumenthal, who co-chaired the newly released 2019 guidelines.

According to Blumenthal, more than 80 percent of all cardiovascular events are preventable – but heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States.

The preventative guidelines recommend lifestyle changes such as:

a diet that focuses on vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, lean vegetable or animal protein and fish and cuts down on trans fats, red meat, processed meat, refined carbohydrates and sugary beverages
150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week
the elimination of all tobacco usage

The AHA and ACC stressed these finding do not pertain to those at high risk – anyone with a prior history of heart attack, stroke or other cardiac procedures – and stand by the recommendation that daily use of low-dose aspirin can still be lifesaving for these individuals.

To see the 2019 Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, click here.