Why the 50% of People Taking Daily Aspirin Should STOP

It used to be that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Times have certainly changed; now (for decades, actually) the physicians across America have new guidance for adults. More than half are on a daily dosage of low-dose aspirin in order to address various life-threatening illnesses and/or diseases.

“Slightly more than half of middle-aged adults and seniors in the United States take aspirin daily to prevent heart attack, stroke or other serious illnesses, a new survey has found.

The drug, a blood thinner, can prevent clots from forming in arteries that can cause a stroke or heart attack, he said. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can prevent plaques inside arteries from becoming unstable and rupturing, which also can contribute to blockages.” (Source: HealthDay News)

This indiscriminate and cavalier approach has been used for decades primarily because of a single effect that aspirin possesses. It functions as a blood thinner and therefore can produce a desired effect for those with medical conditions related to high cholesterol and plague buildup in the arteries. Stroke and heart attack victims, as well as those with high blood pressure may benefit, but rarely does a treatment regimen like this come without a downside.

Whenever a medication is used for an extended period of time, be it an over-the-counter drug or prescription drug, eventually side effects will develop. In some cases, depending on the individual’s unique biochemistry, vulnerable physiology, and/or genetic predispositions, quite adverse side effects can emerge.

For instance, those with a tendency toward stomach ulcers expose themselves to the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding through daily aspirin use. Because it is such an effective blood thinner, attenuated blood vessels throughout the GI tract can experience internal bleeding.

“For one thing, even low-dose aspirin (81 milligrams) can cause stomach bleeding, the researchers warned. It’s not a huge risk, Williams said, affecting only about five out of 1,000 older patients, but it’s enough that the guidelines do not automatically recommend daily aspirin use for all adults to prevent a first heart attack or stroke.”

Read: 7 Heart-Healthy Alternatives to Aspirin

Very few people question the wisdom of utilizing aspirin as a preventative measure when they are facing a second heart attack or stroke. However, there are serious consequences which can result from the long term use of aspirin, most of which have not been documented. This is because the pharmaceutical companies and drugmakers which produce aspirin-type medications do not fund the long term research that is necessary to identify the physical consequences.

OVER-COMPENSATION: Are You Breaking a Basic Law of Healing?

No matter what or how much medication an individual takes on a daily basis, it is important to understand that every pill we swallow can contribute to a downside risk. The higher the amount and more frequently we take any given medication — even aspirin — the greater the likelihood we will experience the consequences associated with over-compensation.

Basically, the principle of over-compensation admonishes every person to take only the necessary amount of therapeutic medicine that is absolutely necessary. Taking more than is necessary, particularly over long periods of time, not only decreases the effectiveness of the medicine, but also almost always sets the individual up for adverse side effects.

Because lifestyle issues are often at the root of what truly ails us, and because many people are unwilling to make the necessary changes in diet and habit, they choose to compensate by taking medication. Such an approach may help in the short term; however, it will eventually take its toll on the constitutional health.

This approach to using medication to only treat symptoms, without ever addressing the root causes of disease. It is called over-compensation.

Qualification

Keeping a fresh bottle of Aspirin in the house is definitely a good item for the first aid kit. Many a heart attack victim has avoided death because they were quick to take aspirin at the very first sign of a heart attack. This one-time emergent response is far different than taking aspirin every day for decades.

Conclusion

Taking aspirin every day as a preventive measure for cardiovascular diseases may ward off serious health threats, but it has its own risks. The older one is, the more likely those risks will manifest. Internal bleeding can manifest in a variety of ways that often go undetected; therefore, it is important to know whatever signs the body may be providing whenever you have exceeded your limit.