Should you take a daily aspirin? | members only

A 2024 study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, which included more than 15,000 participants, found that taking a daily aspirin if you have heart disease,

regardless of your age, is beneficial and overrides its risks. That said, you still need to speak with your doctor in case you have other complications, such as an allergy to aspirin, a

bleeding or clotting disorder, or a history of gastrointestinal bleeding. I admit that figuring out whether you should take a daily dose of aspirin can be tricky. A couple of years ago,

media coverage warned people over 60 with no previous heart issues that if they were taking a daily aspirin, they were unnecessarily putting themselves in danger of bleeding. Well, my

mother, who was then in her late 80s, heard that news and, without consulting me or any other physician, stopped taking her daily dose of aspirin. She had been taking one every day for

decades, and during that time, she never had a stroke, heart attack, stent, or bypass procedure. She had normal cholesterol, but she had prediabetes and high blood pressure. My mom also has

a family history of heart disease. Within three months of not taking aspirin, she had a disabling stroke. MORE FROM DR. ADAM My mother’s story is a good lesson in why it’s so important to

speak with your doctor before either starting or stopping an aspirin regimen. If she had asked me or her doctor whether she should stop taking a daily aspirin, we both would have said, “You

have high blood pressure, and you’re prediabetic.” While we could do some additional imaging on on her arteries, we still would have said, “You know what? Based on what we now know about

you, I would like you to continue to take aspirin.” But I want to be clear: a daily aspirin isn’t for everyone, and it’s not a magic pill that guarantees heart health. You also want to lead

a healthy lifestyle. Eat a diet rich in fiber, fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid processed foods, be physically active, limit alcohol and don’t smoke, tame your stress and watch your

weight, as well as have your blood sugar level checked. When it comes to taking care of our hearts, let’s not miss a beat.