It’s a daily habit that many people follow: take aspirin to prevent future myocardial infarction or stroke. However, this mechanism would be dangerous. This is what emerges from the recommendations published by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a prominent US working group, relayed by le Figaro. A real change in the face, while for several years the scientific community has recommended prescribing low-dose aspirin for people at risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Taking aspirin prophylactically may be especially dangerous for at-risk people age 60 or older. For people aged 40 to 59 with risk factors, the benefit would be “low.” “The scientific data that led to the prescription of aspirin in primary prevention is of modest quality and methodologically debatable. The foundations of these recommendations are objectively quite sandy, and in fact are based primarily on methodological biases and some will to believe in effectiveness,” he says. Dr. Florian Zuris, cardiologist in Strasbourg.
The most recent studies indicate an increased risk of serious bleeding events with continued use of aspirin. “Considering the results of these studies, there is no place for aspirin in patients in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, whether they have diabetes or not, and of whatever age, including in the case of arteropathy of the lower extremities without clinical signs,” stresses Pr Remy Bossageon, General Practitioner of Teaching at the University of Lyon and President of the Scientific Council of CNGE, citing Le Figaro. On the other hand, in secondary prevention, ie after a heart attack or stroke, taking a daily aspirin can be effective.
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