A daily baby aspirin is often recommended by doctors to help prevent heart attacks or stroke, but for people over 70 years old the benefits may be offset by bleeding risks, investigators report. 'The balance of harm and benefit could tip either way,' they say.
Elderly individuals are at increased risk of having adverse reactions to drugs, Dr. Mark R. Nelson, from the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia, and colleagues note in the Online First edition of the British Medical Journal. However, most of the clinical trials looking into the prevention of cardiovascular events with aspirin have involved middle-aged subjects.
Elderly might not benefit from regular aspirin
