For people trying to prevent a second heart attack or stroke, evidence in support of baby aspirin therapy remains strong. Until now, the balance between risks and benefits in older individuals was unclear, said Dr. McNeil. Problems like stroke and intestinal bleeding occurred in 8.6 percent of aspirin patients versus 6.2 percent of placebo patients. Extra cases of cancer were the chief reason for the higher death rate, with 3.1 percent of aspirin users dying of cancer versus 2.3 percent in the control group. The cancer finding surprised researchers because in other studies, aspirin protected against death from cancer.

Source: Fox News September 17, 2018 17:40 UTC