What role does aspirin play in preventing heart disease?
Aspirin works by preventing platelets in the blood from clumping together–reducing the chance that a blood clot will form in an artery that already is narrowed because of the buildup of plaque. Studies show that people who have suffered a heart attack can reduce the chance of a second attack by taking an aspirin a day. The American Heart Association recommends that people who have had a heart attack, unstable angina, ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attacks (known as TIAs or “little strokes”) consider taking regular aspirin after consultation with their doctor; others recommend it as a preventative measure against first attacks in people with multiple coronary risk factors. Most doctors in the United States prescribe 325 mg of aspirin a day, the amount in one adult aspirin pill. European physicians, however, tend to prescribe less aspirin, typically about 75 mg a day, or the amount in one baby aspirin, which is sufficient to provide protection. The amount of aspirin you take to p
