eMedicineLive

Dutch researchers have found that aspirin is not of much benefit in primary prevention of heart attack and stroke. Though its role in averting a second attack cannot be questioned, it does not seem to be offering any advantage to healthy women under the age of 50. The report has been published online on November 16, 2011 in the European Heart Journal.

 

Aspirin is widely known for its role in cutting the risk of death from heart attack and stroke from 2.4% to 2.2%. That is why many women take 100 mg of aspirin every alternate day as a prophylactic measure. However, a team of researchers from the University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands, led by Dr. Jannick Dorresteijn, found that only one out of 50 women, taking aspirin for 10 years, will benefit from the treatment. They reached this conclusion after analyzing the data of around 28,000 healthy women. All the women in the study were above the age of 45 and were randomly divided into two groups- one receiving aspirin whereas the other group receiving placebos. The researchers found that there was less than 1% predicted reduction in 10 year absolute risk of myocardial ischemia, stroke and other major cardiovascular events with aspirin therapy.

 

In majority of women taking aspirin, it is either ineffective or may even be harmful. It results in thinning of blood i.e. blood fails to clot early in case of any injury. Moreover, it has been associated with stomach ulcers. Though it doesn’t cost much, it can be a drain on the exchequer if you consider the number of women taking aspirin as a primary preventive measure.

 

Taking aspirin has been found to be beneficial in certain women above the age of 65 who are at an increased risk of suffering from a cardiovascular event. However, healthy women of less age are better off by making healthy changes in their diet and lifestyle in order to cut the risk of cardiovascular events.

 

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