Articles
Daily aspirin therapy: Understand the benefits and risks
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Should you take a daily aspirin?
How can aspirin prevent a heart attack?
Should you avoid daily aspirin therapy if you have another health condition?
What's the best dose of aspirin to take?
What happens if you stop taking aspirin every day?
Can you take aspirin if you regularly take ibuprofen or another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for another condition?
What are the possible side effects of daily aspirin therapy?
What are possible drug interactions with daily aspirin therapy?
If you take daily aspirin, is it still safe to take an aspirin during a heart attack?
Should you take a coated aspirin?
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Taking aspirin every day may lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, but daily aspirin therapy isn't for everyone. Is it right for you?
The answer depends on your age, overall health, history of heart disease, and risk of having a future heart attack or stroke.
Daily aspirin therapy may be used in two ways:
- Primary prevention. This means you've never had a heart attack or stroke. You've never had coronary bypass surgery, coronary angioplasty with stent placement, or blocked arteries in your neck, legs or other parts of the body. But you take a daily aspirin to prevent such heart events. The benefit of aspirin for this use has been debated.
- Secondary prevention. This means you've already had a heart attack or stroke, or you have known heart or blood vessel (vascular) disease. You're taking a daily aspirin to prevent heart attacks or strokes. The benefit of daily aspirin therapy in this situation is well established.
