Benefits of Taking Daily Low-dose Aspirin
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2011/01/25 - Updated: 2025/12/24
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Pharmaceuticals - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This information discusses how long-term low-dose aspirin therapy works to prevent cardiovascular disease and reduce cancer mortality. The article, published by Disabled World and regularly updated, draws on clinical evidence and peer-reviewed research including data from the Lancet Medical Journal to explain the anticoagulant properties that make aspirin useful for secondary prevention - particularly for people who've experienced a heart attack or stroke, or those at high risk of coronary artery disease. The material is especially valuable for older adults and people managing chronic conditions, as it clarifies both established benefits and important limitations, noting that while aspirin reduces cardiac risk, it can also increase bleeding complications, making clinical guidance essential before starting therapy - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Aspirin (USAN), also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), 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.
Main Content
Low-dose, long-term aspirin use irreversibly blocks the formation of thromboxane A2 in platelets, producing an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation. This anticoagulant property makes aspirin useful for reducing the incidence of heart attacks.
40 mg of aspirin a day is able to inhibit a large proportion of maximum thromboxane A2 release provoked acutely, with the prostaglandin I2 synthesis being little affected; however, higher doses of aspirin are required to attain further inhibition. (Nebe, J; Heier, M; Diener, HC (1995). "Low-dose ibuprofen in self-medication of mild to moderate headache: a comparison with acetylsalicylic acid and placebo". Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache 15 (6): 531-5.)
Low-dose aspirin decreases the risk of heart attack in patients with chronic stable angina, and was previously part of standard treatment, however it has since been discovered that the increase in hemorrhagic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding offsets this gain so they are no longer advised unless the risk of myocardial infarction is very high. (Barnett H, Burrill P, Iheanacho I. (April 2010). "Don't use aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease". BMJ 340: c1805. PMID 20410163)
Aspirin is an antiplatelet medicine, which means it reduces the risk of clots forming in your blood. Low-dose aspirin (usually 75mg a day) may be given to you if you have had:
- A stroke
- A heart attack
- Atrial fibrillation
- A coronary artery bypass operation
- Acute coronary syndrome (minor heart attack or unstable angina)
It may also be given to you if you are considered to be at risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
It has been well documented that aspirin reduces the risk of heart attack in people with known coronary artery disease (CAD). It is also now understood that aspirin lowers the risk of having symptoms for people who have a higher risk for the disease. People who are at high risk for coronary artery disease or who already have coronary artery disease benefit the most from aspirin therapy.
A new study in the Lancet Medical Journal adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that a daily dose of aspirin can reduce the risk of dying from several types of cancer, with even low-dose aspirin appearing to be beneficial. The benefits were strongest for bowel, oesophageal and stomach cancers.
Aspirin could also help to prevent deaths from pancreatic, lung and brain cancers. The researchers believe that patients may gain the most benefit by starting to take aspirin in their late 40s or 50s, when the risk of developing many cancers begins to rise.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The evidence around aspirin reveals a nuanced picture that defies simple recommendations. What works as preventive medicine for one person - particularly someone with a history of heart disease - becomes a calculated risk for another without such history. This complexity matters especially for those weighing multiple health concerns, where the decision to take a daily medication requires honest conversation with healthcare providers about personal risk factors rather than reliance on broad health claims. The ongoing evolution of aspirin research, particularly regarding cancer prevention, suggests that medical guidance on this decades-old drug continues to deepen even as we seek more targeted approaches to disease prevention - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.