January 21, 2013

expert reaction to new research on aspirin use and macular degeneration

A study in JAMA Internal Medicine found regular aspirin use appears to be associated with an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is a leading cause of blindness in older people.

Professor Sir John Burn, Professor of Clinical Genetics, Newcastle University, said:

“This is an important paper. Given the importance of aspirin in reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes and now cancer too, we need to study any possible side effects carefully. It may be we should think about an upper age limit for use in prevention.”

‘The association of aspirin use with age-related macular degeneration’ by Gerald Liew et al., published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Monday 21^st January.