Aspirin Dosage Lowered for Heart Ailments

Major new research that was published in January, 2002 in the well-respected British Medical Journal indicates that the aspirin dosage given to people at high risk of heart attack or stroke should be about half of what is now prescribed. The study also pointed out that many more people could be helped with an aspirin regime including those with risky conditions such as diabetes, chest pain, irregular heart beat and diseased leg arteries.

So, if you are on an aspirin regime to stave off heart trouble how much should you be taking?

Dosage is something that should be discussed in depth with your own doctor. But as Dr. Eric Topol, the Chief of Cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic said, “Before this analysis we weren’t sure what the dose was at all.” Dr. Topol then went on to say, ”325 milligrams”, (the same as a maximum strength adult aspirin tablet), “was readily available, so it was used out of convenience, but now I think we’ve zeroed in in the range of 80 to 160”

A baby aspirin tablet contains 81 milligrams.