Taking an aspirin a day could help some adults prevent cardiovascular disease and colon cancer. United States (U.S). Preventative Services Task Force made these recommendations, which were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack).
Giving its final recommendation on Wednesday in Washington, the panel said research showed that the benefits of regular aspirin use outweighed the bleeding risks. It explained further that how much someone can benefit from doing so depends on their age and risk of cardiovascular disease.
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a medication, often used to treat pain, fever, and inflammation. It is also used long-term, at low doses, to help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clot formation in people at high risk of developing blood clots.
Aspirin may be effective at preventing certain types of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. Aspirin has been marketed for more than 100 years and its use as a medicinal agent stretches back to antiquity.
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, Chairman of the task force, said people of 50 to 59 years old, who have increased risk of heart attack or stroke, benefit most from daily use of low-dose aspirin (81 mg) and recommended aspirin initiation for this group.
“People 60 to 69 years old with increased cardiovascular risk can also benefit from doing so, but the overall benefit for this group is smaller, and therefore, the decision to take aspirin should be made with their doctors.”
Bibbins-Domingo said the panel also concluded that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of aspirin use in adults younger than 50 years or older than 70 years.
He warned that before starting to take aspirin for primary prevention, people aged 50 to 69 should talk to their primary care clinician to understand their risk of cardiovascular disease and risk for bleeding. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is an independent, volunteer panel of U.S. experts.
The panel regularly reviews scientific evidences and make recommendations about clinical preventive services such as screenings, counselling services, and preventive medications.
Reacting to the development, the Chief of the Cardiac Transplant Program at the world-renowned Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida in the U.S, Dr. Chauncey Crandall said, “I’m glad that the federal officials are endorsing the use of daily aspirin for colon cancer and heart disease reduction, but I think that the new recommendations are going to add to the confusion that people already have about it. “Low-dose aspirin cuts the heart attack rate by 50 per cent.
Now, we’re finding that it’s anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the risk of colon cancer, and may help prevent other forms of cancer as well, like esophageal, stomach and pancreatic cancer.”
