Taking low-dose aspirin occasionally for heart health is actually riskier than taking no aspirin at all.
April 1, 2026
Original Paper
Irregular Low-Dose Aspirin Use and Coronary Heart Disease Risk in Primary Prevention: A Prospective UK Biobank Study
SSRN · 6494217
The Takeaway
Using data from over 400,000 people, this study found that while high-adherence aspirin use can lower heart disease risk, irregular or low-coverage use (less than 50% of the time) was associated with a much higher risk of heart events than non-use, turning a popular preventative measure into a potential danger if not followed strictly.
From the abstract
Background: Aspirin is well established for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD), but its role in primary prevention is increasingly controversial. We investigated the association between low-dose aspirin use and incident CHD in primary prevention, with particular attention to adherence patterns. <div> <br> </div> <div> Methods: We analyzed two UK Biobank cohorts free of CHD at baseline: a questionnaire-based cohort and a prescription-based cohort. Aspirin exposure was ascertaine