Women under 60 and men under 50 who have diabetes but no other major risk factors for heart disease probably should not be on low-dose aspirin therapy, new research suggests. The new recommendations are based on close examination of nine studies that found the risks of some aspirin side effects, such as stomach bleeding, should be better balanced against the possible benefits of using aspirin.
Pharmacy at Oregon State University, says in a news release. Part of the issue is that widespread use of drugs to control blood pressure and reducecholesterol has lessened the additional benefits of aspirin, Williams says. There is no evidence that higher doses of aspirin, over 75-162 milligrams per day, have added value in heart attack prevention The American Diabetes Association has come out with guidelines for aspirin use in diabetes.
1. Aspirin should ONLY be used in any diabetic patient who has evidence of heart disease, a prior heart attack, previous bypass procedures, astroke, angina, claudication , or blood vessel disease. 2. Aspirin therapy should be considered in high-risk men and women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This includes diabetic patients with the following:A family history of heart disease Cigarette smoking Hypertension Positive protein in the urine (albuminuria) High cholesterol Over age 30 You should take a daily aspirin only if your doctor advises you to do so. If you have had a heart attack or stroke, your doctor will likely recommend you take a daily aspirin unless you have a serious allergy or history of bleeding.
Should you take a daily aspirin? You shouldn’t start daily aspirin therapy on your own in an effort to prevent a heart attack. Your doctor may suggest daily aspirin therapy if: You’ve already had a heart attack or stroke You haven’t had a heart attack, but you have had a stent placed in a coronary artery, have had coronary bypass surgery, or you have chest pain due to coronary artery disease (angina) If you’ve never had a heart attack, but you’re at high risk of having one, the benefit of aspirin therapy is unclear.
Clinical studies are ongoing to try to answer the question of aspirin use to prevent heart attacks. In the meantime you should talk to your doctor if you are at high risk. Side effects and complications of taking aspirin include: •Stroke caused by a burst blood vessel. While daily aspirin can help prevent a clot-related stroke, it may increase your risk of a bleeding stroke (hemorrhagic stroke). Gastrointestinal bleeding. Daily aspirin use increases your risk of developing a stomach ulcer. And, if you have a bleeding ulcer or bleeding anywhere else in your gastrointestinal tract, taking aspirin will cause it to bleed more, perhaps to a life-threatening extent.
Allergic reaction. If you’re allergic to aspirin, taking any amount of aspirin can trigger a serious allergic reaction. Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss. Too much aspirin (overdosing) can cause tinnitus and eventual hearing loss in some people. The Food and Drug Administration also warns that people who regularly take aspirin should limit the amount of alcohol they drink because of its additional blood-thinning effects and potential to upset your stomach. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day Aspirin interferes with your blood’s ability to clot.
Because diabetes increases your risk of cardiovascular events, daily aspirin therapy typically has been recommended as part of a diabetes management plan. Research has shown that aspirin therapy is effective at reducing the risk of heart attack and clot-related strokes if you’ve had a previous cardiovascular event. If you have diabetes, peripheral artery disease or both, ask your doctor about daily aspirin therapy, including which strength of aspirin would be best. Use other alternatives like fish, ginger, oil, garlic and tumeric.