Taking a daily low dose of aspirin may have benefits for your heart health. But this is not the case for everyone, so it’s important to consult a doctor first.
Aspirin, or salicylic acid, is a drug that is available over the counter (OTC) that you might have taken to help manage pain or a fever.
Aspirin has other medicinal properties alongside pain relief. It also affects the consistency of your blood, making it thinner and less sticky by blocking the action of platelets. Platelets are the cells responsible for blood clotting.
In some people, taking a low dose of aspirin daily may help reduce the chance of stroke due to blood clots and lower your risk of experiencing a cardiac event, such as a heart attack.
But it does not typically lower blood pressure when you take it on its own.
Aspirin and blood pressure
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According to the American College of Cardiology (ACC), around 46% of American adults have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
Aspirin has many uses, including preventing blood clots, thinning your blood, and helping your body process omega-3 fatty acids. As a result, there is debate as to whether aspirin can help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension.
Studies show taking daily aspirin does not specifically lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. But aspirin may be key in preventing high blood pressure during pregnancy, or pre-eclampsia, which occurs in around 4% of pregnancies in the United States.
Although aspirin may not be the best choice of medication for lowering blood pressure, it may protect your heart health.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), taking aspirin can lower your risk of experiencing a heart attack or another stroke if you have cardiovascular disease or have previously experienced a stroke.
Despite aspirin being available to buy OTC, if you have high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or have had a stroke, you should only take it if a doctor prescribes it to you. This is because, like any medication, there are risks of side effects. These side effects may be more severe for people with these health conditions.
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Taking aspirin, even in a low dose, has its risks.
Heart failure
If you have hypertension, you may have an increased risk of experiencing heart failure while taking aspirin.
According to a study from 2021, if your blood pressure measures higher than 131/71 mm Hg, you are more likely to experience heart failure if you take aspirin.
Medication interactions
Aspirin thins your blood. This means if you also take other medications that reduce blood clotting, it may have serious side effects. Taking aspirin with certain medications, like warfarin (Coumadin), can double your risk of bleeding.
Other medications to avoid taking with aspirin include:
certain glaucoma medications like acetazolamide (Diamox)
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Stomach ulcers
If you take aspirin for a long time, you may be at risk of developing ulcers in your stomach. Stomach ulcers are sores that develop on the lining of your stomach.
If you have diabetes, you may be more at risk of developing a stomach ulcer from taking aspirin for long periods.
Tinnitus
Some older 2014 research suggests that taking high doses of aspirin long term can increase the chance of hearing loss and tinnitus, which is a condition that causes a ringing in your ears.
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In general, doctors do not recommend that children take aspirin. There is an increased risk of a condition called Reye’s syndrome, a disease that affects the brain and the liver and can even be fatal.
Who should take aspirin?
Doctors are unlikely to prescribe a long-term course of low dose aspirin to you if you have a history of stomach ulcers or are taking another blood-thinning medication or anticoagulant.
If a doctor thinks you may benefit from low dose aspirin, they must ensure you are not at risk of bleeding or have high blood pressure. These factors increase your chance of adverse reactions to aspirin.
People who may benefit from low dose aspirin include:
Pregnant people
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), low doses of aspirin may help to prevent pregnant people who are at risk of pre-eclampsia from developing the condition during their pregnancy.
The ACOG recommends to start taking 81 mg per day of aspirin between 12 and 28 weeks of gestation until the baby arrives.
If you do not have any risk factors for pre-eclampsia, a doctor is unlikely to prescribe aspirin to you. Always speak with a doctor before taking any new medications during pregnancy.
Prevention of heart disease and stroke
Heart disease is responsible for more than 1 in 5 deaths in the United States. According to research from 2022, adults over the age of 40 years with no symptoms of cardiovascular disease or stroke may benefit from taking low dose aspirin daily if they have a greater risk of developing the condition.
This can help to prevent the development of cardiovascular disease and reduce the chances of experiencing heart attack or stroke.
But note that the study also finds no benefit in using aspirin to prevent cardiovascular events in people older than 60 because of the increased risk of internal bleeding with age.
If you have any risk of bleeding, gastrointestinal ulcers, or high blood pressure, a doctor is unlikely to prescribe low dose aspirin.
Hypertension treatments
If you have hypertension, making sure you get the most effective treatment will help reduce your risk of developing heart disease or experiencing a heart attack. It will also improve your general health and well-being.
For some people, the solution may be as simple as changing some of your lifestyle habits. According to a review from 2019, these changes include:
Diet: Increasing your fresh fruit and vegetable intake while reducing the amount of trans-fat, sugar, and salt can help to lower blood pressure.
Exercise and physical activity: Taking part in at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week and reducing the amount of time you spend sitting can help to lower your blood pressure.
Maintaining a healthy weight: If you are overweight, losing weight can help lower blood pressure.
There are also a variety of medications available that a doctor may prescribe to you if you receive a diagnosis of hypertension. Which medication is best for you will depend on many different factors, such as age.
Some of these medications include:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as moexipril (Univasc) and lisinopril (Qbrelis)
Alpha-blockers prevent your arteries from narrowing and include prazosin (Minipress) and doxazosin (Cardura)
Summary
Aspirin may help to prevent heart failure in healthy adults, as well as pre-eclampsia in pregnant people. However, doctors are unlikely to recommend it to help manage hypertension.
This is because aspirin can increase your chance of experiencing a heart attack if you have hypertension.
It is important to speak with a doctor before taking any medication. Always follow the instructions of a doctor when managing hypertension.
