Taking aspirin to prevent stroke or heart attack is associated with a higher than expected risk for disabling or fatal bleeding in people aged 75 years and older, a new study shows in the June issue of The Lancet medical journal.
"We knew before that there was an increased risk of bleeding with aspirin in the elderly, but what we didn't know was how high that risk was and the consequences of those bleeds," senior author, Peter Rothwell, MD, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, explained to Medscape Medical News.
"There has been a sense that antiplatelets prevent important ischemic events, such as stroke and MI, and while we knew there is an increased risk of bleeding, this was seen as bit of a nuisance and not equivalent to the ischemic events. But our data shows that actually the bleeding is more likely to be disabling than the strokes in this age group so really needs to be taken more seriously."
Dr. Aristotle's note:
Be sure to take a look at the Blood/Urine Laboratory Testing to evaluate the biochemistry of your system. Your body may be lacking the targeted nutrients to support health and avoid chronic illness (especially RBC Magnesium).
Here is a list of what is in our