Talk With Your Doctor About Taking Aspirin Every Day

Taking aspirin every day can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Ask your doctor about taking aspirin if you:

• Are a man age 45 or older
• Are a woman past menopause
• Smoke
• Have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes
• Have a family history of heart disease
• Have already had a heart attack or stroke

For most people, aspirin is safe. But it’s not right for everyone. Talk to your doctor before you start taking aspirin every day.

Aspirin can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke. It can:

• Improve the flow of blood to the heart and brain
• Help keep your arteries open if you have had a stroke or angioplasty

If you have already had a heart attack or stroke, daily aspirin can lower your risk of having another one.

Are There Any Side Effects?
Taking aspirin daily is not for everyone. For some people, it may be dangerous. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you start taking aspirin.

If your doctor thinks aspirin is right for you, make sure to take the right amount.

To learn more about the possible side effects, visit this website:

Daily aspirin therapy: Understand the benefits and risks

Your doctor can help you decide if aspirin is the right choice for you. Talk to your doctor about:

• Your risk of heart attack
• What kind of aspirin to take
• How much to take
• How often to take it

Be sure to tell your doctor about all the other medicines that you take, including vitamins. Aspirin can cause serious side effects and mix dangerously with other medicines.

Make it Easy to Remember
Here are a few things you can do to make it easier to take aspirin every day:

• Take aspirin at the same time every day. For example, take it when you brush your teeth or eat your breakfast.
• Put a reminder note on your bathroom mirror where you will see it each day.
• Use a pill sorter to separate out your medications for each day of the week.

Help Your Heart
Aspirin can't take the place of a healthy diet, exercise, and other recommendations from your doctor. Taking aspirin is just one part of your healthy heart routine.

Learn how you can eat healthy and get active to prevent heart disease.

Learn how aspirin can help protect you from heart disease.

What do you want to do today?

Get active. Go for a walk around the neighborhood.

Skip the salt. Try taking the salt shaker off your table.

Take this quiz to find out your risk of heart disease.

Make an appointment with your doctor to talk about lowering your risk of heart attack.

If you already take aspirin, put a note on your bathroom mirror as a reminder.

Write down questions to ask your doctor about taking daily aspirin.