The use of aspirin to prevent heart disease and others, such as stroke (stroke), may have its prescription changed, according to the new guideline on primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
The medication was already being observed by several studies to see what its effects on the healthy organism, that is, without pathologies or the need for the medication.
The recommendation was that the use of aspirin for older, healthier people should no longer be advised.
Read more: Does taking aspirin every day help prevent heart disease?
But care must be taken when interpreting the studies below. They were made on patients who took the medication without necessarily having some illnesses, just to prevent them.
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Studies evaluate the effects of medications
Three studies were carried out that analyzed the effects of aspirin use, all published in the New England Journal of Medicine .
Each brought important results on the main impacts on the patient’s health. Know about each one:
Increased risk of bleeding
The first followed, for 5 years, healthy elderly patients, who divided themselves taking aspirin and placebo.
There was only one difference between the groups: the participants who took aspirin had higher rates of bleeding compared to those who took the placebo.
Severe bleeding
In the sequence, the second study appeared , in which the researchers also observed a greater risk of bleeding.
However, bleeding involved greater intensity, such as upper and intracranial gastrointestinal bleeding, even in patients who used low doses of aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease.
In addition, the drug also resulted in greater risks of cardiovascular disease when compared to placebo.
Cancer
And, finally, the third study was the one that had more different results than the first 2. This is because, in the research, it was observed that the preventive use of aspirin may be linked to a greater cause of death from cancer .
However, the data must be interpreted carefully, according to the researchers themselves. The difference in deaths due to cancer in the group that used aspirin is small compared to the group that used placebo.
In what cases should aspirin be recommended?
The drug can be prescribed for patients, but the doctor needs to evaluate each case.
For example, in elderly patients who have risk factors for other diseases, such as difficulty in controlling sugar and cholesterol, and who are not at risk of internal bleeding.
In addition, doctors must be selective when prescribing aspirin for patients who do not have known cardiovascular diseases.
But the important thing is that the main way to prevent these types of diseases is to adopt a healthier lifestyle, with the practice of physical exercises, a balanced diet and less stress .
It is worth remembering that it is necessary that you consult your doctor before starting or stopping any use of medications.
