For many older people, it wasn’t the apple a day that was going to keep the doctor away. It was the aspirin. The tablet was long considered daily insurance against a first heart attack or stroke, but a recent recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggests that’s unnecessary for most people. In fact, the recommendation states that people over 60 should not take daily aspirin for primary prevention, and those ages 40 to 59 at higher risk for cardiovascular disease but with no history of it should speak with their doctors first.

The updated task force recommendations were issued because many health care providers feel the daily aspirin can do more harm than good in patients who have not been diagnosed with heart attacks or strokes. The dose can trigger internal bleeding in the stomach, intestines and brain in patients, a condition that can be life-threatening. The risk of such a reaction increases with age. This fact caused the group to suggest stopping the practice in people over the age of 60.

For more information, log onto HartfordHealthCare.org/heart