*Many people still believe that taking a daily aspirin helps prevent having a stroke or heart attack, despite updated medical advice suggesting otherwise.
As Fortune reports, a recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) found that nearly half of U.S. adults (48%) incorrectly think the benefits of daily low-dose aspirin outweigh the risks, while 39% are unsure, and only 13% recognize that the risks are now considered greater.
Aspirin can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes by preventing blood clots, but it also increases the likelihood of gastrointestinal bleeding. Because of this, guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology were updated in 2019, advising against daily aspirin for adults over 70 and those at high risk of bleeding. In 2022, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that adults 60 and older avoid using aspirin for heart disease prevention.
A survey published on Feb. 3 by the APPC at the University of Pennsylvania also found that misconceptions are more common among older adults. Among respondents with no personal or family history of heart disease, 57% of those 60 and older incorrectly believed aspirin’s benefits outweigh its risks, while only 7% correctly understood the updated guidance.
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Here’s more from the news release:
In the survey, 45% of respondents report that they or someone in their family has had a heart attack or stroke, while 49% do not have a family history of heart attack or stroke (6% are not sure). A 2024 AHA report estimates that 3.1% of Americans age 20 and older have had a heart attack and 3.3% have had a stroke, and over 48% of adults 20 and older have cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, or hypertension.
Per the release: “The survey data come from the 22nd wave of a nationally representative panel of 1,771 U.S. adults conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an independent market research company.”
Per Fortune, the new guidelines for daily low-dose aspirin (75–100 mg) state:
- Adults 71+: Not recommended
- All adults at increased risk of bleeding: Not recommended
- Adults 40–70 at higher risk of heart disease but not bleeding: May be considered
“Habits backed by conventional wisdom and the past advice of health care providers are hard to break,” APPC director Kathleen Hall Jamieson, PhD, said in the release about the survey. “Knowing whether taking a low-dose aspirin daily is advisable or not for you is vital health information.”
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