In July 2015 during my annual physical, my GP noticed something not quite right with my EKG. He passed me on to a cardiologist who ordered a stress test followed by a dye test that uncovered blockage. Within three days of my GP’s initial prognosis, I was in the ICU recovering from triple bypass surgery. Bear in mind that as a person I did not feel anything to be out of order. I was not overly tired nor did I present, and MDs like to phrase it, any other outward discernable symptoms.
As a result of this history, I have been prescribed baby aspirin by both the cardiologists I have been associated with, one in Corpus Christi, TX, and one here in Granbury, TX where I now live. Other than bruising and marginally thinner blood, I have observed no other effects of taking the prescribed aspirin.
Now to the story. Recent research has found that “taking 100mg of aspirin every day could lower the risk of people aged 65 and over developing type 2 diabetes…” The research also noted previous researchers have found that aspirin use was associated with a significantly increased risk of bleeding, primarily in the gastrointestinal tract. Since CKF is strongly correlated with the presence of diabetes, this finding has merit for those experiencing kidney degradation and/or failure.
I used Poe to construct a 500-word summary of the article cited above which follows:
A recent study suggests that taking a daily dose of 100mg aspirin may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in individuals aged 65 and older. Led by Professor Sophia Zoungas from Monash University, the study involved over 16,000 participants who were either given aspirin or a placebo. The results indicated that the group taking aspirin experienced a 15% reduction in type 2 diabetes risk and a slower increase in fasting plasma glucose levels. However, the study’s authors emphasize that further research is needed before any changes are made to current clinical guidelines regarding aspirin use in older adults. It’s worth noting that a previous trial called ASPREE, published in 2018, found that taking aspirin led to an increased risk of major bleeding without a reduction in cardiovascular disease incidence. Thus, while the recent findings are interesting, they do not alter the current clinical advice on aspirin use in older individuals.
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