Aspirin and Heart Disease: Health Story

Aired on Superstation WGN
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Show 212

Aspirin is the most common and most widely used over-the-counter drug for reducing pain and risk of heart attack and stroke. "Aspirin prevents heart attacks by stopping the formation of clots. It's such a promising drug with so many effects that are beneficial to us," says Julie Buring, a professor at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Julie headed a decade-long women's health study on angina and heart attacks. Healthy women over age 65 who took an aspirin every other day saw a reduction in heart attack and stroke. Women under age 65 saw a reduction in stroke only. "Women actually have more strokes than heart attacks," says Julie. "Women need to consider aspirin therapy in post-menopause and if they have any risk factors or diabetes," says Dr. Jayne Middlebrooks, a noninvasive cardiologist in Atlanta. She recommends 81 miligrams of St. Joseph's aspirin. "Keeping aspirin handy can reduce the risk of death by heart attack, but make this important decision with a health professional," says Julie.