Taking low-dose aspirin (or “baby aspirin”) regularly can lower your risk for heart attack, stroke, and colorectal cancer. For most people, aspirin is safe. But it’s not right for everyone. 

Ask your doctor about taking aspirin regularly if you are age 50 to 59 and you have any of these risk factors for heart disease:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes

Talk with your doctor about your health history and ask if low-dose aspirin is right for you.

Usually, taking aspirin to prevent disease means taking it every day. Most people will need to take aspirin regularly for at least 5 to 10 years to get all of the benefits. Make sure your doctor says it's okay before you start taking aspirin every day. 

In recent years, you may have seen television ads promoting aspirin's ability to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in certain groups of people. You should know that deciding to take an aspirin a day is not as simple as it may seem. The FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) has launched a public education campaign to remind consumers that aspirin is not without risk; the decision to use aspirin to prevent a heart attack and stroke is safest when made in consultation with a health professional.

It's been about 100 years since aspirin was created. And in that time, it has played a major role in treating headaches, fever, and minor aches and pains for millions. Now there are studies showing that aspirin is helpful in lowering the chance of a heart attack and clot-related stroke.

Still, most health professionals agree that long-term aspirin use to prevent a heart attack or stroke in healthy people is unnecessary. If you are using aspirin to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke and you haven't talked with a health professional about it, you may be putting your health at risk.

Aspirin can help prevent a heart attack or clot-related stroke by lowering the clotting action of the blood's platelets. But the same properties that make aspirin work in stopping blood from clotting may also cause unwanted side effects, such as stomach bleeding, bleeding in the brain, kidney failure, and other kinds of strokes. There may be a benefit to daily aspirin use if you have some kind of heart or blood vessel disease, or if you have evidence of poor blood flow to the brain. But only a doctor can tell you whether the risks of long-term aspirin use may be greater than the benefits.

If your health professional agrees to your use of daily aspirin treatment, you'll need his or her medical knowledge and guidance to help prevent unwanted side effects. Before deciding if daily aspirin use is right for you, your health professional will consider such factors as your medical and family history, your use of other medicines, your allergies and sensitivities, and what side effects you may experience.

Some medical conditions, such as pregnancy, high blood pressure, bleeding disorders, asthma, stomach ulcers, and liver and kidney disease, could make aspirin a bad choice for you. Aspirin is also a drug that can mix badly with other medicines (prescription and over-the-counter), vitamins, herbals, or dietary supplements. People who are already using a prescribed medicine to thin the blood should talk to a health professional before using aspirin, even occasionally. It's important to discuss the use of all medicines, vitamins and dietary supplements with your health professional before using aspirin daily.

You should also discuss the different forms of aspirin products that might be best suited for you. Not all over-the-counter pain relievers have aspirin, so it's important to read the label carefully. Some drug products combine aspirin with other pain relievers or with certain other ingredients and should not be used as long-term aspirin treatment.

There are no directions on the label for using aspirin to reduce the risk of heart attack or clot-related stroke. Your health professional can provide the dose and directions that will give you the most benefit with the fewest side effects. Whether you are using aspirin daily to lower the risk of a heart attack or a clot-related stroke, or for any other purpose not listed on the aspirin's label, the dose does matter. It's important that the dose you use and the frequency with which you use it are right for you.

A new study found that, for healthy older adults, taking a low-dose aspirin each day didn’t extend life or prevent a first heart attack or stroke.

Heart diseases and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability in older adults in the U.S. These are often caused by blood clots that form in the blood vessels to the heart or the brain.

For people who’ve had a heart attack or stroke, aspirin can help prevent a second one. Aspirin helps thin the blood to avoid further blood clots. A low dose of daily aspirin has also been shown to reduce the risk of a first heart attack or stroke for people who are at high risk for these conditions.

To see if aspirin could benefit healthy older adults, too, researchers randomly assigned more than 19,000 healthy older adults to take aspirin or an inactive pill, or placebo. Most participants were 70 and older (65 and older for African-American and Hispanic individuals).

Both groups had similar rates of health problems and deaths. Aspirin didn’t reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, physical disability, or dementia. Those taking aspirin had an increased risk of bleeding, which was already a known risk of regular aspirin use.

“These initial findings will help to clarify the role of aspirin in disease prevention for older adults,” says Dr. Evan Hadley, who oversees clinical aging research at NIH’s National Institute on Aging. “But much more needs to be learned.”

Talk to your health care provider about your health risks and whether daily aspirin use is right for you.

You can walk into any pharmacy, grocery or convenience store and buy aspirin without a prescription. The Drug Facts label on medication products, will help you choose aspirin for relieving headache, pain, swelling, or fever. The Drug Facts label also gives directions that will help you use the aspirin so that it is safe and effective.

But what about using aspirin for a different use, time period, or in a manner that is not listed on the label? For example, using aspirin to lower the risk of heart attack and clot-related strokes. In these cases, the labeling information is not there to help you with how to choose and how to use the medicine safely. Since you don't have the labeling directions to help you, you need the medical knowledge of your doctor, nurse practitioner or other health professional.

You can increase the chance of getting the good effects and decrease the chance of getting the bad effects of any medicine by choosing and using it wisely. When it comes to using aspirin to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, choosing and using wisely means: Know the facts and work with your health professional.

FACT: Daily use of aspirin is not right for everyone

FACT: Daily aspirin can be safest when prescribed by a medical health professional

FACT: Aspirin is a drug

FACT: Once your doctor decides that daily use of aspirin is for you, safe use depends on following your doctor's directions

Aspirin has been shown to be helpful when used daily to lower the risk of heart attack, clot-related strokes and other blood flow problems in patients who have cardiovascular disease or who have already had a heart attack or stroke. Many medical professionals prescribe aspirin for these uses. There may be a benefit to daily aspirin use for you if you have some kind of heart or blood vessel disease, or if you have evidence of poor blood flow to the brain. However, the risks of long-term aspirin use may be greater than the benefits if there are no signs of, or risk factors for heart or blood vessel disease.

Every prescription and over-the-counter medicine has benefits and risks — even such a common and familiar medicine as aspirin. Aspirin use can result in serious side effects, such as stomach bleeding, bleeding in the brain, and kidney failure. No medicine is completely safe. By carefully reviewing many different factors, your health professional can help you make the best choice for you.

When you don't have the labeling directions to guide you, you need the medical knowledge of your doctor, nurse practitioner, or other health professional.

Before deciding if daily aspirin use is right for you, your health professional will need to consider:

• Your medical history and the history of your family members
• Your use of other medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter
• Your use of other products, such as dietary supplements, including vitamins and herbals
• Your allergies or sensitivities, and anything that affects your ability to use the medicine
• What you have to gain, or the benefits, from the use of the medicine
• Other options and their risks and benefits
• What side effects you may experience
• What dose, and what directions for use are best for you
• How to know when the medicine is working or not working for this use

Make sure to tell your health professional all the medicines (prescription and over-the-counter) and dietary supplements, including vitamins and herbals, that you use — even if only occasionally.

If you are at risk for heart attack or stroke your doctor may prescribe aspirin to increase blood flow to the heart and brain. But any drug — including aspirin — can have harmful side effects, especially when mixed with other products. In fact, the chance of side effects increases with each new product you use.

New products include prescription and other over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements (including vitamins and herbals), and sometimes foods and beverages. For instance, people who already use a prescribed medication to thin the blood should not use aspirin unless recommended by a health professional. There are also dietary supplements known to thin the blood. Using aspirin with alcohol or with another product that also contains aspirin, such as a cough-sinus drug, can increase the chance of side effects.

Your health professional will consider your current state of health. Some medical conditions, such as pregnancy, uncontrolled high blood pressure, bleeding disorders, asthma, peptic (stomach) ulcers, liver and kidney disease, could make aspirin a bad choice for you.

Make sure that all your health professionals are aware that you are using aspirin to reduce your risk of heart attack and clot-related strokes.

There are no directions on the label for using aspirin to reduce the risk of heart attack or clot-related stroke. You may rely on your health professional to provide the correct information on dose and directions for use. Using aspirin correctly gives you the best chance of getting the greatest benefits with the fewest unwanted side effects. Discuss with your health professional the different forms of aspirin products that might be best suited for you.

Aspirin has been shown to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have cardiovascular disease or who have already had a heart attack or stroke, but not all over-the-counter pain and fever reducers do that. Even though the directions on the aspirin label do not apply to this use of aspirin, you still need to read the label to confirm that the product you buy and use contains aspirin at the correct dose. Check the Drug Facts label for "active ingredients: aspirin" or "acetylsalicylic acid" at the dose that your health professional has prescribed.

Remember, if you are using aspirin everyday for weeks, months or years to prevent a heart attack, stroke, or for any use not listed on the label — without the guidance from your health professional — you could be doing your body more harm than good.

What are the benefits of taking aspirin regularly?

Taking low-dose aspirin regularly can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke by preventing blood clots. Blood clots are clumps of thickened blood that can block blood flow to parts of the body. They can cause serious health problems or even death.

A blood clot can:

• Block blood flow to your heart and cause a heart attack
• Prevent blood from getting to your brain and cause a stroke

Taking aspirin regularly can prevent blood clots and lower your risk of heart attack or stroke. If you've already had a heart attack or stroke, aspirin can lower your risk of having another one.

Taking aspirin regularly for at least 5 to 10 years can also lower your risk of colorectal cancer –– but experts aren’t sure why.

Can taking aspirin every day cause any side effects?

Taking aspirin regularly isn't right for everyone. For some people, it may cause side effects –– like bleeding in the stomach.

Talk with your doctor before you start taking aspirin. Be sure to tell your doctor about any health conditions you have (like stomach problems or bleeding problems).

Use aspirin safely.

If you and your doctor decide that regularly taking low-dose aspirin is right for you, follow these safety tips:

• Make sure you understand how much aspirin to take and how often to take it. Most people who take aspirin to prevent disease take 81 mg every day –– though your doctor may recommend you take a higher dose every other day.
• Talk with your doctor before you start taking a new medicine or vitamin. Ask if it’s safe to take with aspirin.
• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation. This means no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men. Alcohol can increase some risks of taking aspirin regularly.
• Check with your doctor first if you want to stop taking aspirin regularly.
• Get more tips about using medicines safely.

Make it easy to remember.

Here are a few things that may help you remember to take aspirin regularly:

• Take it at the same time every day. For example, take it after you brush your teeth or when you eat breakfast.
• Put a reminder note on your bathroom mirror where you will see it each day.
• Use a weekly pillbox to keep track of the medicines you take each day.

Take steps to protect your health.

Taking low-dose aspirin regularly is just one of many ways to stay healthy.

To lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and colorectal cancer:

• Quit smoking
• Get active
• Watch your weight

Keep your heart healthy.

Eating healthy is another way to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Find out more about keeping your heart healthy and reducing your risk of stroke.

Get tested for colorectal cancer.

If you are age 50 to 75, get screened (tested) regularly for colorectal cancer. Screening can help prevent colorectal cancer or find it early, when it’s easier to treat. Learn more about colorectal cancer screening.

Take these steps to protect your health if you are at risk of heart attack or stroke. 

Find out if daily aspirin is right for you.

Your doctor can help you decide if low-dose aspirin is the right choice for you. Talk with your doctor about:

• Your risk of heart attack or stroke
• What kind of aspirin to take
• How much to take
• How often to take it
• Side effects that it may cause

It's important to tell your doctor about all the other medicines you take, including vitamins, herbs, and over-the-counter medicines (medicines you can get without a prescription). It may be dangerous to mix aspirin with other medicines.

What about cost?

Aspirin is inexpensive and sold over-the-counter. For some adults, aspirin is covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan.

For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.

Know your family’s health history.

Your family history affects your risk for heart attack, stroke, and colorectal cancer. Use this family health history tool to keep track of your family’s health. Share this information with your doctor. 

Only a health care provider can determine whether regular use of aspirin will help to prevent a heart attack or stroke in your particular case. Aspirin can prevent these problems in some people but not in everyone, and it has important side effects. You should use daily aspirin therapy only after first talking to your health care provider, who can weigh the benefits and the risks.

Aspirin is often thought of as a harmless over-the-counter (OTC) drug that’s been relied on for years to treat pain and fever. Now you're hearing that it can also lower your risk of a heart attack and some kinds of strokes. Aspirin may seem like a quick-and-easy way to decrease these risks, but it's not as simple as you think.

What Studies Show

Since aspirin was discovered more than a century ago, it has played a major role in treating headaches, fevers, and minor aches and pains for millions of people. Now studies show that because aspirin thins the blood, it can also help to lower the chances of a heart attack or a stroke caused by a blood clot in the brain. But research has found it works only in certain people, specifically those who had a previous heart attack or stroke, or have disease of the blood vessels in the heart. It does not seem to work in people with healthier hearts and blood vessels.

Most health professionals agree that long-term aspirin use to prevent a heart attack or stroke in healthy people is unnecessary. If you are using aspirin to lower these risks and have not talked with a health professional about it, you may be putting your health at risk. You should ONLY use daily aspirin therapy under the guidance of a health care provider.

Not Without Risks

Aspirin has been known to help people living with some diseases of the heart and blood vessels. It can help prevent a heart attack or clot-related stroke by interfering with how the blood clots. But the same properties that make aspirin work as a blood thinner to stop it from clotting may also cause unwanted side effects, including bleeding into the brain or stomach.

Aspirin also can mix badly with prescription medicines and over-the-counter drugs. People already using a prescription medicine that thins the blood such as warfarin, dabigatran (Pradaxa) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto) should always talk to a health professional before using aspirin, even occasionally.

Discuss the use of all medicines, vitamins, and dietary supplements with your health professional before taking aspirin daily. He or she will decide if the benefits of taking daily aspirin outweigh the risks in your particular case and can provide medical knowledge and guidance to help prevent unwanted side effects.

Dose Matters

Whatever purpose you are using daily aspirin for, how much you take matters. It's important to your health and safety that the dose you use and how often you take it is right for you. Your health professional can tell you the dosing and directions that will provide the greatest benefit with the least side effects.

Not all over-the-counter pain relievers contain aspirin. If your health care provider prescribes daily aspirin to lower the risk of a heart attack and clot-related stroke, read the labels carefully to make sure you have the right product. Some drugs combine aspirin with other pain relievers or other ingredients and should not be used for long-term aspirin therapy. If you have questions talk to a health professional.

Before you use aspirin to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke, talk to a health professional. It could save your life.