About 40-60% of older people take daily aspirin or other antiplatelet drugs to prevent heart attacks and strokes, Aspirin has shown to decrease the risk of heart problems in patients who have already had a heart attack or stroke.

Most studies showing the benefits of aspirin have included people younger than 65years But majority of people taking blood thinners are much older.

The British study ‘the lancet’ included patients who had suffered a stroke or heart attack and had been taking drugs like aspirin. During 10 years of follow-up, considerable number of patients were admitted to a hospital with bleeding and all of them were in the older age bracket.

So, the researchers feel-patients should be made aware that-

Long term daily use of aspirin may increase the risk of major ,and even fatal stomach bleeds in people over 70 years….

Health-