Low-Dose Aspirins Carry Risk of Stomach Bleed
November 14, 2000 - 0:0
LONDON People taking low-dose aspirin to prevent heart problems still have an increased risk of stomach bleeding, British doctors said.
Aspirin, the 100-year-old wonder drug used to relieve a range of ailments, has been shown to reduce the risk of a heart attack and stroke in highly susceptible people.
Taking low-dose aspirins was thought to minimize serious side effects, including stomach bleeding.
But researchers at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford said neither the dose nor modified release formulations cut the chance of internal bleeding.
"long-term aspirin therapy, even at a low dose, carries a risk of gastrointestinal hemorrhage," said Dr. Yoon Kong Loke.
The researchers reviewed 24 studies of aspirin involving 66,000 patients. Their findings were published in the British Medical Journal.
Stomach bleeding occurred in about 2.5 percent of patients taking aspirin for heart problems, compared to 1.4 percent in placebo groups.
Despite the increased risk, the scientists said there were relatively few deaths caused by stomach bleeding compared to heart disease the leading killer in the industrialized world.
"Patients and doctors need to consider the trade-off between the benefits and harms of long-term treatment with aspirin," they said.
Aspirin reduces the risk of blood clots and cuts the odds of having a second heart attack in patients. Most patients are advised to take low-dose aspirin, about 75mg a day.
Although aspirin is available over the counter, the researchers said the risk of stomach bleeding could be higher in patients who take it without consulting a doctor.
In a commentary on the research, Martin Tramer of Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland said: "It may be more appropriate for some people to eat an apple rather than an aspirin a day." Doctors also advise that aspirin should not be taken by people who are allergic to it, or patients suffering from asthma or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or those who have severe liver or kidney disease or bleeding disorders.
(Reuter)
Aspirin, the 100-year-old wonder drug used to relieve a range of ailments, has been shown to reduce the risk of a heart attack and stroke in highly susceptible people.
Taking low-dose aspirins was thought to minimize serious side effects, including stomach bleeding.
But researchers at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford said neither the dose nor modified release formulations cut the chance of internal bleeding.
"long-term aspirin therapy, even at a low dose, carries a risk of gastrointestinal hemorrhage," said Dr. Yoon Kong Loke.
The researchers reviewed 24 studies of aspirin involving 66,000 patients. Their findings were published in the British Medical Journal.
Stomach bleeding occurred in about 2.5 percent of patients taking aspirin for heart problems, compared to 1.4 percent in placebo groups.
Despite the increased risk, the scientists said there were relatively few deaths caused by stomach bleeding compared to heart disease the leading killer in the industrialized world.
"Patients and doctors need to consider the trade-off between the benefits and harms of long-term treatment with aspirin," they said.
Aspirin reduces the risk of blood clots and cuts the odds of having a second heart attack in patients. Most patients are advised to take low-dose aspirin, about 75mg a day.
Although aspirin is available over the counter, the researchers said the risk of stomach bleeding could be higher in patients who take it without consulting a doctor.
In a commentary on the research, Martin Tramer of Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland said: "It may be more appropriate for some people to eat an apple rather than an aspirin a day." Doctors also advise that aspirin should not be taken by people who are allergic to it, or patients suffering from asthma or uncontrolled high blood pressure, or those who have severe liver or kidney disease or bleeding disorders.
(Reuter)