More than one in 10 Patients taking Aspirin 'inappropriately' increase their Risk Stroke, experts warn

Expert have warned that more than one in 10 people taking aspirin are doing so unnecessarily and may be doing themselves harm rather than good. As study found out that 11 per cent of those taking aspirin in the United States were doing so ‘inappropriately’ and should stop to avoid suffering from stroke.

The researchers revealed that taking aspirin if you don’t need it can lead to the thinning of the blood which can cause excessive bleeding or a stroke. Studies have shown that aspirin can reduce the risk of a range of illnesses including cancer but it should not be taken by the worried well.

A daily dose of 75mg a quarter of a regular strength aspirin  is recommended only in the case of specific illnesses. The US study found that among 68,808 patients being treated by cardiologists in America, 7,972 of them were taking aspirin despite having a very low risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years.

The findings from the Baylor College of Medicine were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Those taking part were on average 49 years old and eight in ten were women. Women were 16 per cent likely to be taking aspirin for the wrong reasons, versus just five per cent for men.

In some cardiology practices, as many as 72 per cent of patients were taking aspirin even though they did not need it, though at others the figure was zero.

Credit:Daily mail Health