Baby Aspirin Was Once a Heart Health Staple — So What Changed?

For decades, many adults took a daily low-dose aspirin believing it offered simple protection against a first heart attack or stroke. Aspirin reduces platelet activity, making blood clots less likely to form inside narrowed arteries.

The medicine still has important cardiovascular uses, but newer trials showed that routine preventive use in otherwise healthy people often delivers only a small benefit while increasing serious bleeding. The result was a major shift from broad recommendation to individual risk assessment.