Aspirin, the familiar and readily available pain reliever, can be part of a heart-healthy therapy for certain types of people, but experts agree that it's not right for everyone. Is it right for you? Here's a brief overview of the pros and cons from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help you decide and proceed safely.

Benefits
Because of its ability to inhibit the clotting of blood, aspirin taken as prescribed by your doctor can reduce your risk of

• stroke if you've had a previous stroke or have had a warning sign called a transient ischemic attack (mini-stroke)
• heart attack if you've had a previous heart attack or experienced angina (chest pain)
• death or complications from a heart attack if the drug is taken at the first signs of a heart attack
• recurrent blockage if you've had heart bypass surgery or other procedures to clear blocked arteries

Risks
The potential benefits are impressive, but the very same thing that makes aspirin beneficial, its ability to inhibit blood clotting, may pose serious risks such as

• increasing your chance of excessive bleeding, including bleeding in the brain
• stomach irritation causing heartburn, pain, vomiting, and over time, internal bleeding, ulcers, and holes in your stomach or intestines
• increased danger to long-term alcohol users of stomach bleeding and liver damage
• temporary ringing in the ears and even hearing loss that usually disappears when the dose is lowered

For these reasons, aspirin is NOT approved by the FDA as a heart-attack risk reducer for healthy people. The risks are simply too great. So, what should you do to reduce your heart-attack? Eat healthful foods, exercise regularly, and don't smoke.