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Heart Health

Should you take low-dose aspirin?

Aspirin can help stave off heart attacks and strokes. But for many people, the risk of bleeding from a daily low-dose aspirin outweighs the benefit.

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
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Daily low-dose aspirin can lower the risk of a second heart attack in people who’ve already had one. For people without a history of heart attack, the risk of dangerous bleeding usually outweighs any potential heart-related benefit from taking low-dose aspirin.

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About the Author

photo of Julie Corliss

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Julie Corliss has been the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter since 2013. She also writes for the Harvard Health Letter, Harvard Women’s Health Watch, and Harvard Men’s Health Watch, as well as for Harvard … See Full Bio
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About the Reviewer

photo of C. Michael Gibson, MD

C. Michael Gibson, MD, Contributor

Dr. C. Michael Gibson is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an interventional cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is the CEO of the combined nonprofit Baim and PERFUSE research institutes … See Full Bio
View all posts by C. Michael Gibson, MD
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