A group of health experts released an early version of a new guidance recently. They say people at 60 years of age and older without heart disease should not take aspirin to prevent a heart attack, because the risk of damaging the body is greater than the protection from heart disease.
The group's guidelines are meant for people at higher risk of heart disease. This includes people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol(胆固醇), those who are highly overweight or who have conditions that increase their chances for a heart attack.
Anyone considering whether to start or stop the aspirin treatment should talk with a doctor first, the group advised. "Aspirin use can cause serious harms, and risk increases with age," said John Wong, a group member.
Doctors have long advised small amounts of aspirin every day for patients with a heart attack. The group's guidance does not change that. The new guidance was announced online to let the public comment on it until November 8. The group will study the comments and then make a final decision. Wong said the guidelines are being updated because of new studies and reexamination of older research. Aspirin is best known as a medicine to reduce pain. It also thins blood, which can reduce the chances for blood clots(凝块). But aspirin also has risks, even in small amounts. These include bleeding in the stomach or intestines(肠) and ulcers(溃疡). Both conditions can be dangerous.
Dr. Lauren Block, a researcher in New York, said the guidance is important because so many adults take aspirin although they have never had a heart attack. She recently stopped treating a 70-year-old patient with aspirin. Her patient, knowing about his heart attack risks, never has bad effects from aspirin, but he takes the new guidance seriously. 63-year-old Rita Seefeldt with high blood pressure took aspirin every day for about 10 years until her doctor told her to stop several days ago. "After all, science develops over time," she said.
