Medical Questions » Blood Questions » Question No. 141
| Question: | Does taking 100 mg coated aspirin a day to reduce the risk of blood clots also lead to easier bleeding, thereby increasing the risk of any stroke that may occur? |
| Answer: | This is actually a very good question, and one that is still a matter of some debate between doctors. Nine out often strokes are caused by a blood clot in the brain. The remaining 10% are caused by blood leaking out of a blood vessel (usually an artery) into the brain tissue, to cause damage. This type of stroke tends to be milder and less damaging than the sudden impact and blockage of blood flow cause by a clot.
There is no evidence that taking aspirin increases the risk of brain damage in the less common type of stroke caused by bleeding, but aspirin will significantly reduce the risk of blood clots in the brain, heart (that can cause a heart attack) and lungs (a pulmonary embolus).
On the other hand, people taking aspirin, particularly if they are elderly, will bruise more easily, and bleed for longer if cut. Overall, doctors recommend that low-dose aspirin should be taken by all people who have increased risk of blood clots, and some doctors are now saying that everyone over 50 should be taking aspirin on a regular basis, as it may also reduce the risk of bowel cancer and other diseases. |
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