I’ve heard that taking 1/4 aspirin a day is one of the easiest ways to prevent heart attacks, strokes, cancer…not bad considering the cost and effort.
But I’ve also heard that some people shouldn’t take aspirin (or other anti-inflamatory meds) because they cause bleeding, and that hospital admissions for such bleeding are way up.
So the question is: How do you know which group you are in? Do you just wait and see if you develop some symptom which requires you to run to the nearest ER? Or are there some intermediate signs that tell you trouble has started?
Does aspirin cause stomach upset? Do you have bright red blood in your stool when taking it? Do you have black tarry stools while taking it? Bleeding gums? Easy bruisability? Do you have a history of bleeding ulcers while on medicines like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other NSAIDS? If yes to any of the above, aspirin may cause you problems.
Most people can handle an 81 mg dose of aspirin a day, taken with a bit of food. Those that can’t usually find out about it because of the above symptoms.
Of course, sometimes the only symptom someone will have is sudden massive GI hemorrhage. But this happens rarely.
Ask your doctor if daily aspirin is right for you.
I would add, though, that the existence of a net benefit of aspirin for people at low risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke) is far from proven. So, for a young person, with no high blood pressure, no diabetes, low cholesterol, etc., I would not recommend aspirin.
There is also some interesting evidence to suggest that aspirin may reduce the incidence of colon and breast cancers. But, IIRC, something like 250 to 1000 people need to take aspirin for five years to prevent one cancer (not deaths). So, again, the net benefit is unclear.
Note that for people who already have had a stroke or heart attack, the evidence for aspirin’s benefit is overwhelming. My comments above refer to healthy people, without prior problems.