Task Force issues age-based recommendation for supplemental aspirin use

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force on Tuesday put forth a three-tier recommendation strategy on the use of aspirin as a supplement to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease that takes age and an individual patient's situation into consideration. 

 

The Task Force approached this draft recommendation in a new way.

 

“Each person has only one decision to make — whether or not to take aspirin for prevention,” Task Force member Douglas Owens said. “To help individuals and their clinicians make this decision, the Task Force integrated the evidence about the use of aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer into one recommendation on the use of aspirin.”

 

“Taking aspirin is easy, but deciding whether or not to take aspirin for prevention is complex,” added Task Force vice chair Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo. “People aged 50 to 69 should talk with their doctor about their risk of cardiovascular disease and risk of bleeding, and discuss whether taking aspirin is right for them.”

 

The Task Force found that taking aspirin can help 50- to 69-year-olds who are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease prevent heart attacks and stroke, as well as help prevent colorectal cancer, if taken for at least 10 years. 

 

Daily use of low-dose aspirin has the most overall benefit for people 50 to 59 years old who have increased risk of heart attack or stroke. The Task Force recommends aspirin use in this age group. This is a "B" recommendation. 

 

People 60 to 69 years old with increased risk can also benefit from taking aspirin. However, the overall benefit for this group is smaller, so the decision to take aspirin should be an individual one based on patients’ risk for cardiovascular disease and bleeding, their overall health, and their personal values and preferences. This is a "C" recommendation.

 

The Task Force also concluded that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of aspirin use in adults younger than 50 or 70 and older, and issued "I" statements for these age groups.

 

The Task Force is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine that works to improve the health of all Americans by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services such as screenings, counseling services and preventive medications.