Aspirin Harmful for Healthy People: Study

Healthy people shouldn’t be taking aspirin, according to a new study. The drug doesn’t actually reduce the risk of heart attack, as many of the “worried well” have long believed, British scientists told a medical conference, but it does nearly double the risk they’ll be hospitalized with internal bleeding. Those who’ve already suffered a heart attack, however, should keep taking their aspirin, doctors said.

“Aspirin probably leads to a minor reduction in future events but the problem is that has to be weighed against an increase in bleeding,” said one of the researchers. “Some of that bleeding can be quite serious and lead to death.” For those who’ve already had a heart attack, the risk of another episode outweighs all other concerns. (More aspirin stories.)