Doubt Cast Over the Efficacy of Aspirin - July 6, 2000
A question mark over aspirin's perceived ability to stop people
developing heart disease arises from a new study, involving more
than 5,000 men from around the UK. Aspirin has a widespread
reputation as a miracle life-saver but new research suggests it
may do more harm than good to men most at risk from
heart disease. Thousands of middle aged men in Britain, and many
more in the US, take aspirin routinely as a preventative medicine
to lower their risk of succumbing to the western world's biggest
killer.
But the study suggests a daily low dose of aspirin is unlikely to
help men with high blood pressure - the group most vulnerable to
heart disease and strokes.
Indeed, it found that men with blood pressures of more than
145mm of mercury derived little or no heart-protective benefit.
And, because aspirin thins the blood, the study also suggested it
could increase the likelihood of serious bleeding in this group. A
case-control study in five UK centres found the risk of peptic ulcer
bleeding more than doubled among regular users.