19 Feb Benefits of Taking an Aspirin Every Day
Taking aspirin every day can lower your risk for heart attack, stroke, and colorectal cancer. For most people, aspirin is safe. But it’s not right for everyone.
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Ask your doctor about taking aspirin every day if you are age 50 to 59 and you have any of these heart disease risk factors:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
Talk with your doctor about your health history and ask if daily aspirin is right for you. Most people will need to take aspirin for at least 5 to 10 years to benefit from daily aspirin use. Make sure your doctor says it’s okay before you start taking aspirin every day.
What are the benefits of taking aspirin daily?
Aspirin can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke by preventing blood clots. A blood clot is a clump of thickened blood. It can block blood flow to parts of the body and cause serious health problems or even death.
A blood clot can:
- Block blood flow to your heart and cause a heart attack
- Prevent blood from getting to your brain and cause a stroke
Taking daily aspirin can prevent blood clots and lower your risk of heart attack or stroke. If you’ve already had a heart attack or stroke, daily aspirin can lower your risk of having another one.
Taking aspirin every day for at least 5 to 10 years can also lower your risk of colorectal cancer – but experts aren’t sure why this works.
Can taking aspirin every day cause any side effects?
Taking aspirin daily isn’t right for everyone. For some people, it may be unsafe.
Talk to your doctor before you start taking aspirin every day. Be sure to tell your doctor about any health conditions you have (like asthma or bleeding problems).
Find out if daily aspirin is right for you.
Your doctor can help you decide if daily aspirin is the right choice for you. Talk with your doctor about:
- Your risk of heart attack or stroke
- What kind of aspirin to take
- How much to take
- How often to take it
- Side effects that aspirin can cause
Be sure to tell your doctor about all the other medicines you take, including vitamins, herbs, and over-the-counter medicines (medicines you can get without a prescription). Aspirin may mix dangerously with other medicines and cause serious side effects.