New Jersey doctors warn Trump's aspirin comments may cause confusion about heart risks
President Donald Trump said bruising on his hand is the result of taking a daily dose of aspirin higher than what doctors recommend. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump said he has been encouraged by his doctors to lower his current 325-milligram dose but has declined to do so.
"They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart," Trump said. "I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?"
Some doctors are concerned his comments will cause more confusion about the risks and benefits of aspirin.
Daily aspirin use is only recommended for certain high risk patients, it is no longer considered a safe way to prevent heart disease.
"It can be harmful to your health because it increases risk of bleeding," Rita Butler, an interventional cardiologist at Virtua Health, said.
Butler says 325mg regular-strength aspirin is used mainly for pain relief and with certain heart patients.
"You should not be taking daily full dose in any situation as a preventative measure," Butler said.
81mg aspirin was recommended to prevent heart disease, because it can reduce the risk of clotting — but that has changed.
The Heart Association and Preventive Services Task Force have new guidance on daily low dose aspirin that says; adults in their 40s and 50s should only take it if advised by a doctor.
It's still recommended for adults who have had a heart attack, stroke or are at high risk.
"Talk with your doctor, your doc should be making these recommendations," Butler said.
Butler says there's a lot of confusion about the safety of aspirin use because the advice changed as new research showed the risks often outweigh the benefits.
The White House initially said the president's hand bruising was from shaking so many hands. The president told the Wall Street Journal he's in great health.