Aspirin recommended to prevent CVD, colorectal cancer

Aspirin should be taken daily in low doses by certain people to not only prevent heart disease and stroke, but also colon cancer, according to new draft guidelines.

Related: Aspirin: When should it be used for prevention of cardiovascular events?

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently updated its aspirin guidelines to recommend that people between the aged 50 and 59 years who are at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke should take daily low-dose aspirin. Those taking low-dose daily aspirin should not be at an increased risk for bleeding and have a life expectancy of at least aged 10 years.

If they take low-dose aspirin daily for at least aged 10 years, they may also reduce their risk of colon cancer – a new recommendation from USPSTF.

Related:Study: Genetic variants determine whether aspirin/NSAIDS will reduce colorectal cancer risk

The group also said that the decision to use low-dose aspirin daily to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer in adults aged 60 to 69 years should be an “individual one.”

“Persons who place a higher value on the potential benefits than the potential harms may choose to use low-dose aspirin,” the group said in its recommendations.

The group also said that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of aspirin use to prevent CVD and colorectal cancer in adults younger than aged 50 years old and over aged 70 years old.

The group narrowed its previous recommendations, which recommended aspirin for those outside aged 50 to 59 years and also separated the guidelines by gender. USPSTF reviewed 4 clinical trials on aspirin use since 2009.

However, FDA rejected labeling aspirin for the use of preventing heart attacks and strokes last year. And the USPSTF found “adequate evidence that aspirin use in adults may increase risk for GI bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke,” according to the draft guidelines.

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