Most of us have seen the commercials and are aware that taking an aspirin a day is beneficial in preventing heart attacks in men.
What about women? Will taking an aspirin a day lower a woman’s risk of heart disease as well? Does aspirin provide us with the same heart protective benefits that it does for men?
According to the Mayo Clinic, when men take an aspirin a day their risk of heart attack is reduced. As aspirin a day does not appear to be of much benefit to men in terms of stroke reduction. However, aspirin definitely hits a home run in terms of reducing their risk of heart attack.
Unfortunately, the answer regarding aspirin usage isn’t as straight-forward for women as it is for men. Whether or not it is effective in preventing heart attacks depends on several factors including your age, whether you are pre- or post-menopausal and whether or not you’ve already suffered a cardiac event. In addition, depending on your age demographic, an aspirin a day may not be beneficial to your heart health at all. Bummer!
The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued the following guidelines for women and daily aspirin usage:
•Prevent first stroke: Taking an aspiring a day is beneficial to women of all ages with respect to preventing a first stroke.
•Prevent first heart attack: Surprisingly, the AHA guidelines indicate that an aspirin a day is only beneficial in preventing a first heart attack if you are over age 65.
•Prevent second heart attack: An aspirin a day is recommended for all women, regardless of age, who’ve suffered a first heart attack in order to help prevent a second heart attack.
•Reduce heart disease risk: An aspirin a day is recommended for women of all ages in order to reduce heart disease risk.
The AHA’s guidelines are supported by findings from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study (WHI), which has been studying the effects of aspirin usage in women and whether or not it reduces our risk of heart disease. The WHI is a 15-year, nationwide study specifically focused on health issues impacting postmenopausal women. In this particular WHI study, WHI researchers found that if a woman already has a history of heart disease, she had a 25 percent reduction in the risk of death due to heart disease if she took an aspirin a day.
Findings also concluded women taking an aspirin a day also saw an overall reduction in the risk of death due to any cause by 14 percent. For women who were heart disease free, researchers found that an aspirin a day did not significantly reduce the risk of a first heart attack. Regular aspirin usage was found to reduce the risk of stroke in all participants, regardless of age or prior cardiac or stroke history.
Aspirin has been known to cause excessive bleeding and some people are hesitant to start on an aspirin regime due to bleeding concerns. This WHI study also examined the amount of aspirin dosage which could be safely taken on a daily basis and still be beneficial. Participants in this study were given a low dose (81 milligrams) and high dose (325 milligrams) of aspirin a day. At the end of the study (6.5 years), there was no difference in the ultimate outcome with respect to death regardless of which dosage (low or high) of aspirin that the participants took.
Currently, the AHA recommends a daily aspirin dosage of 75-325 milligrams if a woman has already had a first heart attack or stroke or is otherwise at high risk for heart disease and stroke.
Is taking an aspirin a day right for you?
It depends.
Have you had a first heart attack or stroke? Are you heart disease free but over the age of 65? If so, then it may be beneficial to you. Do you have a history of bleeding problems? Well, then maybe not. As with any medical decision, discuss aspirin therapy with your physician and determine if it’s right for you and your overall health.
Until next time, here’s wishing you a healthy heart.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic Staff, Is the treatment for heart disease different for women?, The Mayo Clinic, 17 Jan 2009, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/HB00040
Aspirin Improves Survival In Women With Stable Heart Disease, According To Study, Science Daily, 13 Mar 2009, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312092440.htm
Eleanor Roberts, PHD, Women, Aspirin, and Cardiovascular Disease, Every Day Health, 09 Sept 2009, http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/advice-for-women-about-aspirin.aspx