Study Suggests Most Women Should Not Take Aspirin for Prevention of Heart Attack, Stroke, or Cancer

Despite convincing evidence suggesting that routinely taking aspirin may be effective in reducing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD), a new Women’s Health Study published in Heart this week has concluded that the risk is too high for the majority of women. 

The random trial evaluated the long-term results of low-dose aspirin treatment versus placebo treatment in 27,939 healthy women, age 45 and older. Although in some women the aspirin treatment resulted in a moderate decrease in their risk for developing colorectal cancer and CVD, the increased risk of major gastrointestinal bleeding outweighed that benefit for most women. 

According to the study’s conclusions, “For the majority of women in primary prevention, the long-term benefits of alternate-day, low-dose aspirin with regard to cancer and CVD do not outweigh the increase in major gastrointestinal bleeding.”

The study did however note that for women 65 and older, aspirin treatment may “improve net benefit.”

To learn more about the study’s findings, read the entire article.