Most Americans Misunderstand Daily Aspirin Guidelines
A new survey reveals that many Americans continue to believe in the benefits of taking low-dose aspirin daily, despite experts warning that the risks now outweigh the advantages. According to the survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, nearly half (48%) of respondents incorrectly believe that the benefits of daily aspirin use to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke outweigh the potential risks.
Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the center, explained that breaking long-established habits, shaped by conventional wisdom and previous health advice, is challenging. “Knowing whether daily low-dose aspirin is advisable for your health is crucial,” she said.
For years, health guidelines recommended that seniors take low-dose aspirin to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, based on the idea that aspirin thins the blood, reducing the likelihood of clotting that could lead to these events. However, in 2019, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association updated their guidelines, advising against daily aspirin for healthy seniors over 70 due to the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. “For those over 70, the risks of aspirin often outweigh the benefits,” according to the AHA.
Despite these new recommendations, many people have not changed their practices. Nearly one in five U.S. adults without a history of heart disease still take low-dose aspirin regularly. The survey showed that 10% take it almost every day, 6% a few times a month, and 2% several times a week. Interestingly, younger adults were more likely to correctly recognize that the risks of aspirin use outweigh the benefits, likely because they haven’t been exposed as much to the outdated advice that supported daily aspirin use. The survey involved 1,771 participants and was conducted from November 14 to 24, 2024, with a margin of error of ±3.3%.
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