Adults age 60 and older should not start taking low-dose aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
The physician group’s recommendation was published online Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The task force also recommends that adults ages 40 to 59 who are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and do not have a history of heart attack or stroke should consult with their health care provider about whether to start taking aspirin as a preventative measure. According to the task force, evidence indicates that the net benefit of aspirin use in this group is small, and persons who are not at increased risk for bleeding and are willing to take low-dose aspirin daily are more likely to benefit.
While daily aspirin use has been shown to lower the chance of having a first heart attack or stroke, it can also cause harm such as internal bleeding.
“Based on current evidence, the Task Force recommends against people 60 and older starting to take aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke,” Task Force vice chair Michael Barry, M.D., said in a news release. “Because the chance of internal bleeding increases with age, the potential harms of aspirin use cancel out the benefits in this age group.”
The task force, whose recommendations are independent of the United States government, says these recommendations only apply to people who do not have a history of cardiovascular disease and are not already taking daily aspirin. The guidance is not for people who already have heart disease, have had a stroke or are already taking aspirin.
The American College of Cardiology has a tool to estimate cardiovascular disease risk.