Half of Older US Adults Now Take Aspirin

A new study claims that 52% of older adults in the United States take a daily dose of aspirin, even though it is not recommended for those who have not yet had a heart attack or stroke.

Researchers at Oregon State University (OSU; Corvallis, USA), Oregon Health & Science University (Portland, USA), and other institutions conducted a survey of US adults aged 45–75 years (mean age 60) to ascertain aspirin use and factors associated with that use. The results showed that among the 2,509 respondents, 52% reported current aspirin use, and another 21% had used it at some point in the past. Among the 2,039 respondents without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), current use of aspirin was 47%.

Out of the older adults who are now using aspirin, 81% have not had a heart attack or stroke, and are taking it for primary prevention, associated with the presence of major CVD risk factors, including heart attack prevention (84%); stroke prevention (66%); cancer prevention (18%); and prevention of Alzheimer's disease (11%). Other reasons cited include high self-assessed knowledge of aspirin and having discussed aspirin therapy with a health provider.

Several markers of healthy lifestyle choices were also associated with regular use, with significant predictors including people who were physically active, ate healthy foods, had achieved a healthy weight, managed their stress, tried to quit smoking, and/or had undergone health screenings. The study was published in the May 2015 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

“There's no doubt that aspirin use can have value for people who have experienced a first heart attack, stroke or angina; the data to support that is very strong. The support of its use in primary prevention is more of a mixed bag,” said lead author Prof. Craig Williams, PharmaD, of OSU and OHSU. “But this survey clearly shows that more and more people who have not experienced those events and are not technically considered at high risk by the FDA are also deciding to use aspirin, usually in consultation with their doctors.”

“Surveys such as this are needed to help determine how people are managing their own health, since aspirin is an over-the-counter medication and its use cannot be determined solely by medical records,” added professor Williams. “The findings suggest that tens of millions of Americans have reviewed the issues involved, often discussed it with their doctors, say they know what they are doing—and decided to use aspirin.”

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