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Advantages of Low-Dose Aspirin Likely Outweigh Possible Harm

Dr. Soloman Shah MD

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For nearly two decades, Soloman Shah, MD, has practiced as a physician at Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates, PC, a part of the Privia Medical Group in Fairfax, Virginia. Previously recognized as one of the state’s top doctors, Dr. Soloman Shah is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, which recently published a statement on a recommendation by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) prescribing low-dose aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer in adults.

The USPSTF recommends initiating aspirin in adults between the ages of 50 and 59 who have a 10 percent or more risk of cardiovascular disease and a low risk of internal bleeding. The USPSTF submitted that it was sufficiently certain that the advantages of low-dose aspirin outweighed any possible harm.

Aspirin has long been used in the medical world to help patients with blood vessel conditions. However, aspirin has also been linked to gastrointestinal bleeding and abdominal discomfort.
Before USPSTF recommendations are initiated, primary care physicians should consult with gastroenterologists to accurately assess patients’ risk of colorectal cancer. This way, the two can balance the benefits of a low-dose aspirin regimen with the risk of colorectal cancer or gastrointestinal hemorrhage.