Research published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine has shown that most people without heart disease won’t benefit from using aspirin as the risk of bleeding outweighs the benefit of preventing heart attacks and strokes.

Sotiris Antoniou, Royal Pharmaceutical Society spokesperson on cardiovascular medicines said:

“This research confirms what pharmacists know already; that when assessing the appropriateness of aspirin for preventing heart attacks or strokes you need to assess the benefits and the risks of the individual person.

For healthy adults, with no history of heart disease, the benefit of reducing the likelihood of a heart attack is outweighed by the risk of bleeding, especially stomach bleeds.

People who buy aspirin should consult with their pharmacist to make sure that it is appropriate for them based on their individual likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke and their likelihood of experiencing a side effect such as stomach ulceration. If you are already taking aspirin, don’t simply stop taking it, speak to the pharmacist about your individual circumstances.”