Monday, March 25, 2019
By Barbara Pronin
If, like many older Americans, you take a low-dose aspirin daily to prevent a heart attack or stroke, it may be time to talk with your doctor after a recent reversal of ‘one-a-day’ guidance announced by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiologists (ACC).A large clinical study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which followed 19,000 people over a four-year span, found that the aspirin regimen was not effective in preventing cardiovascular disease and, in fact, may increase the risk of bleeding and hemorrhaging.
People who are at a high risk of cardiovascular disease and a low risk of bleeding - or those who have had a heart attack, stroke, open-heart surgery or stents - may still be advised to continue the aspirin regimen, spokesmen said. But, for the most part, clinicians going forward will be much more selective in prescribing the low-dose aspirin-a-day routine.
Instead, patients will be advised to reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease through a program of exercise and a more healthful diet.
Older people, like most of their younger counterparts, are advised to devote at least two or three hours each week walking briskly, swimming, dancing or bicycling.
In terms of diet, nutritionists recommend eating lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish, and limiting their intake of salt, saturated fats, fried foods, processed meats, and sugary sodas.
It should go without saying that doctors continue to recommend no smoking or vaping and maintaining a healthy weight. Losing just five to 10 percent of body weight, according to the ACC, can decrease the risk of stroke, heart attack and other health issues.
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