Talk with Your Doctor about Taking Aspirin Every Day

10 Talk with Your Doctor about Taking Aspirin Every Day Doctor Visits Doctor Visits, Older Adults 5/22/2013 12:56:26 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/icons/talkwithyourdoctorabouttakingaspirineveryday.jpg glass of water with one aspirin http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/heart-health/talk-with-your-doctor-about-taking-aspirin-every-day Get Your Blood Pressure Checked http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/doctor-visits/screening-tests/get-your-blood-pressure-checked topic Heart Health: Conversation starters http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/heart-health/heart-health-conversation-starters tool Use Medicines Safely http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/safety/use-medicines-safely topic Keep Your Heart Healthy http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/heart-health/keep-your-heart-healthy topic

The Basics Daily aspirin can reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Your doctor can help you decide if it’s right for you. Taking aspirin every day can lower your risk of heart attack or stroke. Ask your doctor about taking aspirin if you:<ul ><li>Are a man age 45 to 79</li><li>Are a woman age 55 to 79</li><li>Smoke</li><li>Have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes</li><li>Have a family history of heart disease</li><li>Have already had a heart attack or stroke</li></ul>For most people, aspirin is safe. But it’s not right for everyone. Talk with your doctor before you start taking aspirin every day.<ul ><li><a href="http://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/prevention/disease/aspirinmen.pdf" >For Men: Talk with Your Doctor about Taking Aspirin [PDF - 850 KB]</a></li><li><a href="http://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/prevention/disease/aspirinwom.pdf" >For Women: Talk with Your Doctor about Taking Aspirin [PDF - 1 MB]</a></li></ul>What are the benefits of taking aspirin daily? Aspirin can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke. It can:<ul ><li>Improve the flow of blood to the heart and brain</li><li>Help keep your arteries open if you’ve had a stroke or angioplasty (surgery to open up your arteries)</li></ul>If you’ve already had a heart attack or stroke, daily aspirin can lower your risk of having another one.Are there any side effects? Taking aspirin daily isn’t for everyone. For some people, it may be dangerous. Talk to your doctor before you start taking aspirin every day.<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/daily-aspirin-therapy/HB00073/METHOD=print" >Learn more about the benefits and risks of taking aspirin every day</a>.

Take Action! Share your family health history with your doctor. Find out if daily aspirin is right for you.Talk with your doctor. Your doctor can help you decide if daily aspirin is the right choice for you. Talk with your doctor about:<ul ><li>Your risk of heart attack or stroke</li><li>What kind of aspirin to take</li><li>How much to take</li><li>How often to take it</li></ul>Be sure to tell your doctor about all the other medicines you take, including vitamins and medicines you get without a prescription. Aspirin can cause serious side effects and mix dangerously with other medicines.What about cost? For some men and women, aspirin use is covered under the <a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/rights/preventive-care/index.html" >Affordable Care Act</a>, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan.<a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html" >For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov</a>.Know your family’s health history. Your family’s health history can give your doctor important information about your risk for heart attack or stroke. <a href="https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/fhh-web/home.action" >Use this family health history tool</a> to keep track of your family’s health. Take this information to your next appointment.Use aspirin safely. If you and your doctor decide that aspirin is right for you, follow these safety tips:<ul ><li>Make sure you understand how much aspirin to take and how often to take it.</li><li>Don’t stop taking aspirin without checking with your doctor.</li><li>Check with your doctor before you start taking a new medicine or vitamin. Ask if it will be safe with aspirin.</li><li>If you drink, <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicID=16">drink alcohol only in moderation</a>. This means no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men. Alcohol can increase some risks of taking daily aspirin.</li></ul><a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=69">Get more tips about using medicines safely</a>.Make it easy to remember. Here are a few things you can do to make it easier to take aspirin every day: <ul > <li>Take aspirin at the same time every day. For example, take it when you brush your teeth or eat your breakfast.</li> <li>Put a reminder note on your bathroom mirror where you will see it each day.</li> <li>Use a pill sorter to separate out your medicines for each day of the week.</li> </ul>Help your heart. Taking aspirin is just one part of a heart-healthy plan. <ul > <li>Find out how you can <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=21">eat healthy</a> and <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=22">get active</a> to prevent heart disease.</li> <li>If you smoke, the best way to protect your heart is to <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=24">quit smoking</a> today.</li> </ul> Get more tips on <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=84">keeping your heart healthy</a> and <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=81">reducing your risk of stroke</a>.

Start Today: Small Steps <ul><li>Go for a walk around the neighborhood.</li><li><a href="http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/atpiii/calculator.asp?usertype=pub" >Take this quiz to find out your risk of having a heart attack</a>. </li><li>Make an appointment with your doctor to talk about lowering your risk of heart attack or stroke.</li></ul>

The Basics If you are a woman age 65 or older, get a bone density test to measure how strong your bones are. A bone density test measures how strong your bones are. The test will tell you if you are at risk for osteoporosis (“os-tee-oh-puh-ROH-sis”).<ul ><li>If you are a woman age 65 or older, schedule a bone density test.</li><li>If you are a woman age 50 to 64, ask your doctor if you need a bone density test.</li></ul>If you are at risk for osteoporosis, your doctor or nurse may recommend getting a bone density test every 2 years.Men can get osteoporosis, too. If you are a man over age 65 and concerned about your bone strength, talk with your doctor or nurse.What happens during a bone density test? A bone density test is like an x-ray or scan of your body. A bone density test doesn’t hurt. It only takes about 15 minutes.What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a bone disease. It means your bones are weak and more likely to break. People with osteoporosis most often break bones in the hip, spine, and wrist.Anyone can get osteoporosis, but it’s most common in older women. The older you are, the greater your risk for osteoporosis.There are no signs or symptoms of osteoporosis. You might not know you have the disease until you break a bone. That’s why it’s so important to get a bone density test to measure your bone strength.Learn more about osteoporosis and bone health:<ul ><li><a href="http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/osteoporosis/Isabel_story.asp" >Isabel’s Story</a></li><li><a href="http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/SGR/SGRBoneHealth_Eng.pdf" >Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis: What it Means to You [PDF – 1 MB]</a></li></ul>What if I have osteoporosis? If you have osteoporosis, you can still help slow bone loss by finding and treating it early. Treating osteoporosis can keep you healthier and more active. It can also lower your chances of breaking a bone.Depending on the results of your bone density test, you may need to:<ul ><li>Add more calcium and vitamin D to your diet</li><li>Exercise more to strengthen your bones</li><li>Get medicine to stop bone loss</li></ul>Your doctor can tell you what steps are right for you. It doesn’t matter how old you are – it’s not too late to stop bone loss!

Take Action! Stay active to help slow bone loss. Take these steps to protect your bone health.Schedule a bone density test. Ask your doctor if you are at risk for osteoporosis. Find out when to start getting bone density tests.<a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTool.aspx?toolId=46">Print these questions for your doctor about preventing osteoporosis</a>. Take them to your next checkup.What about cost? Screening for osteoporosis is covered under the <a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/law/features/rights/preventive-care/index.html" >Affordable Care Act</a>, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get screened at no cost to you.<ul ><li>If you have private insurance, check with your insurance provider to find out what’s included in your plan. Ask about the Affordable Care Act.</li><li>If you have Medicare, <a href="http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/bone-density.html" >find out about Medicare coverage for bone density tests</a>.</li><li>If you don’t have health insurance, you can still get a bone density test. To learn more, <a href="http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx" > find a health center near you</a>.</li></ul><a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2010/07/preventive-services-list.html" >For information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov</a>.<a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=40">Get enough calcium</a>. Calcium helps keep your bones strong. <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTool.aspx?toolId=47">Use this calcium shopping list</a> to help you find foods high in calcium, like:<ul><li>Low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, and yogurt</li><li>Almonds</li><li>Broccoli and greens</li><li>Tofu with added calcium</li><li>Orange juice with added calcium</li><li>Calcium pills</li></ul>Get enough vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your body use calcium. Both vitamin D and calcium are needed for strong bones.Your body makes vitamin D when you are out in the sun. You can also get vitamin D from:<ul><li>Salmon or tuna</li><li>Fat-free or low-fat milk with added vitamin D</li><li>Some breakfast cereals, juices, and yogurt with added vitamin D</li><li>Vitamin D pills</li></ul><a href="http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts/#h2" >Find out how much vitamin D you need each day</a>.Stay away from cigarettes and alcohol. Cigarettes and alcohol can weaken your bones.<ul ><li>Learn more about how to <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=24">quit smoking</a>.</li><li>If you drink alcohol, <a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicID=16">drink only in moderation</a>. This means no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men.</li></ul><a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicID=17">Lower your risk of falling</a>. Falls can be especially serious for people with weak bones. You can make small changes to help prevent falls, like doing exercises that improve your balance. For example, try walking backwards or standing from a sitting position.<a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTopic.aspx?topicId=22">Get active</a>. Physical activity can help slow down bone loss. Weight-bearing activities (like running and jumping jacks) can help keep your bones strong.<ul ><li>Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity. If you are new to exercise, start with 10 minutes of activity at a time.</li><li>Do strengthening activities at least 2 days a week. These include lifting weights or using resistance bands (long rubber strips that stretch).</li><li>Find an exercise buddy. You will be more likely to stick with it if you exercise with a friend.</li></ul>If you have a health condition, be as active as you can be. Your doctor can help you choose the best activities for you.<a href="http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/ViewTool.aspx?toolId=4">Use these tips to help you stay active as you get older</a>.Find an activity that works for you. Check with your local community or senior center to find fun, low-cost or free exercise options. Try something new, like:<ul><li>Aerobics</li><li>Tai chi (“ty chee”) – A Chinese mind-body exercise that involves moving slowly and gently</li><li>Yoga</li><li>Weight training</li><li>Walking with friends</li></ul><a href="http://go4life.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/FindingActivities.pdf" >Find healthy activities that you enjoy [PDF – 881 KB]</a>.

Start Today: Small Steps <ul><li><a href="http://nihseniorhealth.gov/osteoporosis/prevention/video/osteo4_na.html?intro=yes">Watch this video about exercising with osteoporosis</a>.</li><li>Call your local health center to schedule a bone density test.</li><li><a href="http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/overview.asp?print=yes">Print this fact sheet on osteoporosis</a>.</li></ul>