There’s always a balance to strike between the benefits and side effects of a medicine. That balance is even finer when the medicine is being taken to prevent an illness, rather than to treat existing symptoms.

We’ve seen that in areas like fracture prevention, where women are sometimes advised to take drugs like bisphosphonates, to prevent their bones from getting weaker and breaking. How do you know how likely someone is to have a fracture, and whether reducing that risk can outweigh the risk of side effects, such as cancer of the esophagus?

That’s why I’m cautious about a new study that suggests regular low-dose aspirin may prevent cases of colon and rectal cancer. This isn’t the first time that aspirin has been suggested as a preventive treatment for these types of cancer, although study results have been mixed. There have been a number of observational studies suggesting a link, and also several randomized controlled trials that didn’t find any benefit.

Now a new observational study says that taking the lowest dose of aspirin (75 mg) every day, for at least a year, may cut the chances of being diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer. The study looked at men and women in Scotland, where rates of colon and rectal cancer are higher than average.

We’ve been here before with aspirin. It works well to prevent blood clots, and so protects against heart attacksin people who’ve had a previous heart attack. But there’s less evidence about whether the benefits outweigh the harms for people who’ve not had a heart attack.

To read the entire article, click the following link:  Baby aspirin may protect against colon, rectal cancer.

Aspirin can thin the blood and help prevent clots, and is generally accepted as safe in small amounts daily.  But there are risks with this over-the-counter medication, including gastrointestinal bleeding, stomach ulcers, and a small risk for bleeding in the brain.  Along with these side effects, the study done in the United Kingdom suggests that diabetic people taking low dose aspirin daily who have never had a cardiac event were just as likely to have an event when compared with patients who were not taking daily aspirin therapy.
As stated on CNN Health, Dr. Steven E. Nissen from the Cleveland Clinic states “If you have had a heart attack, bypass surgery, or a history of coronary artery disease, the benefits of daily aspirin therapy do outweigh the risks.”

Often times when people see the potential negative associations with a medicine, either they are scared off or a productive conversation with a healthcare professional ensues.  The message is not to scare anyone currently taking aspirin, but rather to talk with your doctor or other healthcare professional about its use.  Like any medication, it is a great thing if used correctly.  If, however, its not ruled by your doctor for the benefit to be worth the risk, it might cut down on potential side effects and save you some money in the process!

For more information, click the link below to read the full article on CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/04/aspirin.risk.heart.attacks/index.html