Debunking the Mythical Benefits of Aspirin for Seniors

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http://www.mercola.com/2005/jun/9/aspirin_seniors.htm

 

Debunking the Mythical Benefits of Aspirin for Seniors

 

There's no telling the effect drugs can have on the elderly. A prime

example: While daily baby aspirin is often recommended by conventional

doctors to protect against cardiovascular risks, any benefit

individuals over age 70 might get from taking daily aspirin may be

offset by bleeding risks.

 

In a study to further investigate such risks, researchers created a

mathematical model based on clinical trial demographics of 20,000

virtual men and women aged 70-74. The participants were " followed " to

their deaths or until they reached age 100.

 

Fatal Findings

 

Researchers compared the risks and benefits of low-dose aspirin on the

theoretical cohort and found that, although about 700 heart attacks

and 55 strokes would have been prevented by routine low-dose aspirin

therapy:

 

* Some 500 extra episodes of gastric bleeding among men and 570 in

women were calculated.

* About 130 more men and women would suffer bleeding in the brain.

 

The results, explained researchers, signify the importance of finding

a preventative treatment where potential benefits outweigh the risks.

 

British Medical Journal May 20, 2005 (Free Full-Text Article)

 

Reuters May 20, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

Yes folks, you don't have to rely on drugs to prevent heart disease,

even if those drugs happen to be dirt cheap. One thing you can be sure

about in aspirin studies is that there aren't any large drug companies

pushing these studies -- there simply isn't any serious money to be

made from selling aspirin.

 

Aspirin works by manipulation of prostaglandins that influence

inflammation, and it is well understood that inflammation is a

powerful influence in developing many diseases, especially heart disease.

 

Fortunately, there are effective alternatives to aspirin. Simple

lifestyle changes such as taking fish oil and exercising can have a

tremendously positive effect on your cardiovascular system.

 

I used to believe that taking one-fifth of a baby aspirin three times

a week was a wise preventive approach. But then I read the British and

American research, and finally realized what I should have understood

all along -- this was simply a flawed approach and in no way, shape or

from was addressing the underlying cause of the problem.

 

If you are at a very high risk of heart attack for one reason or

another, or you simply know you won't be changing your lifestyle for

the better, it may also be in your best interest to try nattokinase

before aspirin. Nattokinase is a fibrinolytic (breaks up fibrin, which

is found in clots) enzyme made from fermented soybeans. It is

comparable to aspirin in its beneficial effects on your blood, but

without any side effects.

 

Using nattokinase in combination with appropriate lifestyle and

dietary modifications can provide excellent protection from heart

attacks and many other forms of heart disease.

 

Related Articles:

 

Aspirin Not Recommended for Heart Disease Anymore

 

Daily Aspirin Use Increases Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

 

Do You Use Aspirin or Tylenol Regularly? Beware as They Are Linked

to Kidney Failure