Here’s yet another reason to be cautious
about jumping on the ASA bandwagon: a study has linked the regular use of ASA
with a higher risk of age-related macular degeneration or AMD, a very
debilitating form of eye disease in which the central part of the retina, the
macula, is gradually destroyed, which leads to progressive inability to see.
In this European study, people who took ASA
regularly had roughly double the risk of “wet” AMD, the most serious form of
the condition, compared to people who weren’t taking ASA.
Now, for many people, the benefits of
taking ASA may – probably do – still outweigh the risks, but the key thing to
remember is that there is no formula for this and the best thing to do (it
should be mandatory, I think) is that anyone taking ASA regularly sit down and
have a good discussion with their primary care doctor about the balance between
the risks and benefits of ASA for their particular unique situation.
Originally posted on the London Drugs Blog - January 12th, 2012