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Risks of Aspirin in Healthy People Outweigh Benefits

by Rajshri on Nov 3 2009 9:52 PM

An article, published in the Drug And Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB), has said that healthy people must not take aspirin to prevent heart attacks as its risks far outweigh the benefits.

Writing in the journal, Dr Ike Iheanacho said that patients who have established cardiovascular disease must continue to take aspirin if it has been prescribed to them. However patients with diabetes and blood pressure must be reevaluated by doctors to assess if they really need the drug.

"Current evidence for primary prevention suggests the benefits and harms of aspirin in this setting may be more finely balanced than previously thought, even in individuals estimated to be at high risk of experiencing cardiovascular events, including those with diabetes or elevated blood pressure," said Dr Iheanacho, editor of the DTB

June Davison, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, supported these views, "Those who do not have heart and circulatory disease the risk of serious bleeding outweighs the potential preventative benefits of taking aspirin. We advise people not to take aspirin daily, unless they check with their doctor."

Source-Medindia
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