{"id":42449,"date":"2025-12-30T09:29:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T16:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=42449"},"modified":"2025-12-30T11:25:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T18:25:03","slug":"new-guidelines-should-you-take-daily-baby-aspirin-to-prevent-heart-attack-stroke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/new-guidelines-should-you-take-daily-baby-aspirin-to-prevent-heart-attack-stroke\/","title":{"rendered":"Should you take daily baby aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There are new guidelines about who should take daily baby aspirin, also known as low-dose aspirin. Who needs it? It’s complicated. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For years, millions of American adults had been taking a daily low-dose aspirin \u2014 or baby aspirin, as it\u2019s commonly known \u2014 to prevent a heart attack or stroke.<\/p>\n

But many older adults who are not at elevated risk for heart attack or stroke should not start taking daily baby aspirin, according to guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released in 2022.<\/p>\n

“Aspirin was previously thought of as a kind of ‘wonder drug,’ but over the years, we have learned that there are risks associated with taking aspirin,” said Dr. William Cornwell<\/a>, who specializes in sports cardiology and exercise science at UCHealth Heart and Vascular Center – Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a> in Metro Denver. \u00a0“The biggest risk associated with aspirin is bleeding.”<\/p>\n

Bleeding risks associated with taking daily baby aspirin increase as people get older and can outweigh the protective cardiovascular benefits for those who have never had a heart attack or stroke.<\/p>\n

Even so, the advice is not as simple as it sounds.<\/p>\n

“Whenever guidelines are developed, it is important to balance the risks and benefits,” said Cornwell.<\/p>\n

Most people who have had strokes or a heart attack in the past should keep taking daily baby aspirin. It\u2019s important for these patients to consult with their doctors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are still many patients who potentially will benefit from taking a daily low-dose aspirin, including those who have already had a cardiovascular event and those who are at high risk for having one,\u201d said UCHealth cardiologist Dr. Steven Simon<\/a>, who is an assistant professor of cardiology<\/a> at the University of Colorado School of Medicine <\/a>on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n

To clarify the guidance and help you decide whether you should take daily baby aspirin, we consulted with Cornwell and Simon, as well as Dr. David Rosenbaum<\/a>, who practices cardiovascular medicine at UCHealth Heart Clinic – Memorial Hospital North<\/a> in Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n

Why have adults been taking low-dose or daily baby aspirin in the first place?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for about one in three deaths, according to the Preventive Services Task Force. Each year, an estimated 605,000 Americans have a first heart attack and about 610,000 experience a first stroke. So prevention is key. And, for decades, doctors have often advised older adults to take daily baby aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes.<\/p>\n

What is the guidance about daily baby aspirin?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Dr.
Dr. Steven Simon, an assistant professor of cardiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Photo: UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are the guidelines about taking a daily dose of baby aspirin:<\/strong><\/p>\n