The Connection Between Low-Dose Aspirin and Heart Attacks

Doctors often prescribe daily aspirin therapy (consuming one low-dose aspirin pill per day) for patients at high risk of developing a heart attack. However, this treatment may not be a cure-all solution for everyone hoping to avoid a heart attack in the future. While aspirin can lower the risk of a heart attack, it can also cause other complications and does not come without risks of its own.

Blood Clots

• Aspirin reduces blood clotting by reducing "the clumping action of platelets" that cause a blood clot, according to the Mayo Clinic's website. A heart attack happens when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the heart.

Bleeding Risks

• Aspirin interferes with blood clotting, which is good for a heart attack but bad if you happen to sustain a wound or injury. You might bleed excessively, since your blood vessels will not be able to clot in order to stop the bleeding. This can affect stomach ulcers and could increase the risk of a bleeding stroke.

Men and Women

• Aspirin has been shown to prevent a first heart attack in men and in women over the age of 65; not, however, for women under the age of 65. It has also proven effective in reducing the overall risk of heart disease and preventing a second heart attack in men and women of all ages, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Daily vs. Emergency Doses

• Low-dose aspirin is generally a daily therapy for people with high risk of heart attack. However, in the event of an emergency, you can take one regular dose or two to four low-dose aspirin pills at one time during a heart attack, according to PeaceHealth.

Candidates for Therapy

• Low-dose aspirin can be effective in preventing a heart attack for people with coronary artery disease, people who have already had a heart attack and people who have had bypass surgery or angioplasty, according to PeaceHealth. For these patients, who are at high risk of having a heart attack, daily low-dose aspirin's anticlotting features will be beneficial.