Don’t take aspirin just because you’ve heard it can help prevent a heart attack or stroke. It can, but it can also do some damage.
There’s no exact tipping point at which it makes sense to start taking an aspirin a day. If you are healthy, haven’t been diagnosed with heart disease or other cardiovascular disease, and don’t have risk factors for them, aspirin probably isn’t for you. You’ll reap little benefit while exposing yourself to side effects you’d rather stay away from. The less healthy your heart and arteries, the more likely the advantages of taking aspirin will outweigh any risks.It isn’t the easiest decision to make.
*If you are in the gray zone, talking with your doctor could make it more black and white.
*My doc advised me not to take an aspirin a day. I've heard Doctors Oz and Roizen state emphatically to take the aspirin. In fact, they tell you to purchase the cheapest aspirin you can find (Wal*Mart) and drink it with warm water - it helps dissolve the aspirin before it can do damage to the stomach. Ah, confusion reigns.