Low-dose aspirin daily is often recommended by GPs to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Recent study revealed that aspirin should be recommended only after assessing its need individually. It should not be recommended patients at high cardiovascular risk generally.

Research team led by Professor Colin Baigent from the Clinical Trial Service Unit at the University of Oxford, UK analyzed data regarding heart attacks and strokes and major bleeds (a potential side effect of aspirin) collected in six primary prevention trials, involving 95,000 people at low to average risk and 16 trials involving 17,000 people at high risk.

Data analysis revealed that only those patients who already had heart attack should be recommended daily dose of aspirin. However it should not be recommended to patients having lower risks of heart attacks as it increases the risk of internal bleeding.

Study leader Professor Colin Baigent said: "We don't have good evidence that, for healthy people, the benefits of long-term aspirin exceed the risks by an appropriate margin."