We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Regular Aspirin Use Incurs Health Benefits

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 19 Aug 2014
Print article
A new study concludes that average-risk adults who used aspirin regularly for at least five years had a lower risk of cancer, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and premature death.

Researchers at Queen Mary, University of London (United Kingdom), the University of Milan (Italy), and other institutions reviewed current data and assessed the benefits and harms of prophylactic use of aspirin on colorectal, esophageal, stomach, pancreatic, lung, prostate, and breast cancer. They also examined aspirin's effects on the risk of MI and stroke, and calculated the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, peptic ulcer, and major extracranial bleeding.

The results showed that for average-risk individuals aged 50–65 years who had been taking aspirin for 10 years, there would be a relative reduction of between 7% (for women) and 9% (for men) in the number of cancer, MI, or stroke events over a 15-year period, and an overall 4% relative reduction in all deaths over a 20-year period; the largest and most consistent benefits were seen in colorectal cancer reduction. Excess bleeding was the most important harm associated with aspirin use, and its risk and fatality rate increased with age.

The researchers found that the effects of aspirin on cancer do not become apparent until at least three years after the start of use, and some benefits are sustained for several years after cessation in long-term users. No differences between low and standard doses of aspirin were observed, while higher doses did not confer additional benefit, but did increase toxicities. Doses between 75 and 325 mg/day appeared to have a favorable benefit–harm profile. The study was published online on August 5, 2014, in Annals of Oncology.

“It has long been known that aspirin, one of the cheapest and most common drugs on the market, can protect against certain types of cancer, but until our study, where we analyzed all the available evidence, it was unclear whether the pros of taking aspirin outweighed the cons,” said lead author Jack Cuzick, PhD, of Queen Mary, and colleagues. “Whilst there are some serious side effects that can't be ignored, taking aspirin daily looks to be the most important thing we can do to reduce cancer after stopping smoking and reducing obesity, and will probably be much easier to implement.”

Aspirin—acetylsalicylic acid—is a salicylate drug often used as an analgesic to relieve minor aches and pains, as an antipyretic to reduce fever, and as an anti-inflammatory medication. It has also been found effective at preventing certain types of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. Aspirin also has an antiplatelet effect by inhibiting the production of thromboxane, which is one of the reasons it is used long-term, at low doses, to help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clot formation in people at high risk.

Related Links:

Queen Mary, University of London
University of Milan


Gold Member
Solid State Kv/Dose Multi-Sensor
AGMS-DM+
Gold Member
POC Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile Prime Plus
Silver Member
Compact 14-Day Uninterrupted Holter ECG
NR-314P
New
Multipurpose Gynecological Table
Dixion Grace 8400

Print article

Channels

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: The Early Bird Bleed Monitoring System provides visual and audible indicators of the onset and progression of bleeding events (Photo courtesy of Saranas)

Novel Technology Monitors and Lowers Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Heart Procedures

Bleeding complications at the femoral access site can significantly hamper recovery, affecting the success of procedures, patient satisfaction, and overall healthcare costs. It is crucial for surgeons... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The new eye-safe laser technology can diagnose traumatic brain injury (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Novel Diagnostic Hand-Held Device Detects Known Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury

The growing need for prompt and efficient diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a major cause of mortality globally, has spurred the development of innovative diagnostic technologies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.