Study links daily aspirin dosage and age-related macular degeneration
January 6, 2012
A new study, which was published in the latest issue of the journal Ophthalmology, found a link between taking aspirin daily and an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which could cause blindness if not treated.
The researchers discovered that people aged 65 and older have twice the risk of developing AMD when they take aspirin each day than those who do not take it as frequently.
The new findings may change doctors’ recommendation of aspirin dosage for seniors with the condition.
“It’s possible that increased AMD risk may outweigh aspirin’s potential protective benefits for some patients, but we need to know more about the impacts of dose, length of use, and other factors before we can say for certain, or make specific recommendations,” lead researcher Dr. Paulus T.V.M. de Jong of the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and Academic Medicine
Seniors who suffer from vision problems already, may want to invest in a medical alert device, which allows the senior to contact emergency services in the event they fall or injure themselves.
