The benefits of long-term use of aspirin for healthy people do not outweigh the risks, researchers at Oxford University have concluded.
While aspirin reduces the risk of a non-fatal heart attack, it also increases the probability of strokes in healthy people. This is not the case for those who have cardio-vascular problems, for whom taking aspirin is beneficial.
The authors of the study concluded, “Aspirin is of clear benefit for people who already have cardiovascular disease, but the latest research does not seem to justify general guidelines advocating the routine use of aspirin in all healthy individuals above a moderate level of risk for coronary heart disease.”
