
Should People With Diabetes Take Aspirin? What Doctors Say | Everyday Health
Aspirin has a wide variety of uses, including potentially promoting heart health in people with type 2 diabetes.
When you think about common aspirin uses, you likely think of the drug as falling in line with ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and other common over-the-counter medications for pain relief. But that isnt the only potential benefit of aspirin.
Aspirin has been used in many different treatments for a variety of medical issues, says Deena Adimoolam, MD , an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai in New York City. But predominantly, its mainly for diseases related to heart disease. She adds that you might also consider taking aspirin if you have a history of strokes.
Aspirin is an anti-platelet agent. It thins the blood, and it helps prevent blood clotting, says Jennifer Shrodes, RD, CDE , who is on the diabetes education staff at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus.
If youre managing type 2 diabetes , aspirin might be helpful for warding off future health complications, too.
Why Aspirin and Diabetes Might Make a Good Match
The main benefit of aspirin for people with type 2 diabetes relates to the drugs potential effect on cardiac health . Heart disease is the primary cause of preventable death worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , and people with diabetes should be particularly mindful of their increased risk for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) , at least 68 percent of people age 65 or older who have diabetes die from some form of heart disease, and
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