Does Taking Low-Dose Aspirin Increase Risk of Anemia?
Low-dose aspirin and anemia. Some experts have been putting doctors and patients on the alert for a long time. Like all medications, low-dose aspirin has side effects. The balance between risks and benefits must be carefully analyzed by the treating physician.
In this article
Low-dose aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular disease
We know that it is prescribed, for example, to those who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke. In some cases, the doctor may also decide to prescribe it as primary prevention in people who are at particular risk of cardiovascular events. In practice, on the one hand, it can be a valuable help, on the other hand, especially in the elderly, it increases the risk of bleeding in the stomach and intestines, which can also lead to bleeding.
Low-dose aspirin and anemia: the study results
In recent years, studies have multiplied that focus precisely on the use of low-dose aspirin as a preventative. The latest in chronological order claim that aspirin can increase risk anemiawith symptoms such as headache, dizziness, great weakness and fatigue along with tachycardia.
To make matters worse, 30% of people over the age of 75 already have problems with their hemoglobin levels. The causes must be sought in the wrong diet, in poor iron absorption or in some cases in the frequent bleeding that can occur in the elderly. You can read the results in the specialist journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
The risk is slightly increased, ferritin and hemoglobin are also affected
The researchers analyzed data from more than 18,000 people over the age of 65. Some of them took 100 milligrams of aspirin daily, which is a low dose. The results showed a slight increase in the development of anemia, particularly in the first five years after starting treatment. In detail, the risk in the group that took daily aspirin for prevention was 24%. In the other group, which took a placebo, the probability was 20 percent. In addition, slightly lower values were also reported in the first group ferritin and hemoglobin.
How do you explain the link between low-dose aspirin and anemia?
In fact, the study cannot explain why this is happening. The researchers put forward hypotheses that essentially relate to the fact that aspirin affects an enzyme that is responsible for maintaining the lining of the stomach and intestines. Consequently, there is a possibility of an increase in bleeding. However, there is no clear scientific evidence. Therefore, further studies are needed to understand the reasons. Until you understand exactly what is happening at the stomach level, it is better to keep the situation under control the levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin and iron in people who take low-dose aspirin for a long time.
