It's cheap and beneficial, but study indicates folks don't use it. Too few heart patients are taking aspirin despite its widely known ability to prevent heart attacks, according to a study released Monday. The study, published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation, found that only 26 percent of patients who had heart disease and could have benefited from aspirin took the pain reliever. The regular use of aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of blood clots that can block an artery and trigger a heart attack.
Experts say aspirin can also reduce the risk of a stroke and angina, or severe chest pain.