Taking aspirin daily to prevent cardiovascular disease increases the risk of severe and even fatal internal bleeding in patients older than 75 years, according to a study published in The Lancet.

According to previous studies, about 40-60% of British and Americans over 75 take aspirin daily, but the consequences of long-term use of the drug in patients of this age category are still unclear, since most patients under 75 took part in most clinical studies.

The study, conducted by a group of scientists from Oxford University from 2002 to 2012, was attended by almost 3.2 thousand. patients who have had a heart attack or stroke and are taking anticoagulants, mostly aspirin, as a precaution. Half of the participants were 75 years old or older at the start of the study..

The results showed that over a ten-year study period, a total of 314 patients were hospitalized with internal bleeding. Moreover, with the age of the patient, the risk of bleeding increased.

The annual rate of disabling or fatal bleeding among patients under 65 was 0.5%, in patients 75–84 years old it increased to 1.5%, and in patients over 85 years old it exceeded 2.5%.

Researchers emphasized that the results do not mean that elderly patients should stop taking aspirin. To reduce the risk of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract, which are most common in patients older than 75 years, by 70–90%, the authors recommend the combined use of aspirin and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).

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