Daily Aspirin Use Linked to Wet Macular Degeneration
Seniors who use aspirin daily may be twice as likely to develop an advanced type of age-related macular degeneration, compared to seniors who use the drug less frequently.
Daily aspirin users may be more vulnerable to developing wet macular degeneration (also called “wet AMD”). Wet AMD is generally less common than the dry type. The wet form occurs when blood vessels grow behind the macula, the central region of the retina. These blood vessels can leak blood and other fluid, causing the macula to be raised out of its normal position. Wet AMD causes a rapid loss of central vision, whereas the dry type progresses in stages. Central vision is critical to your ability to drive and read, and to see objects clearly.
The European study looked at whether aspirin use causes the abnormal growth of blood vessels behind the macula. The study examined 4,700 seniors over the age of 65 for three years, between 2000 and 2003. Findings of the study included:
- Daily aspirin use was associated with late-stage wet AMD, and less so to early-stage dry AMD.
- For wet AMD, the association became stronger as the frequency of aspirin use increased.
- Early AMD was found in about one third of the participants, and advanced AMD was found in about 3 percent. Of those individuals who had advanced AMD, more than two-thirds had the wet form, while about one-third had the dry form.
- 17 percent of the individuals took aspirin daily, 7 percent took the drug once a week or more, and 41 percent took aspirin once a month.
- One-third of participants with wet AMD took aspirin daily.
The study suggests association, not a cause-and-effect relationship. If you are currently taking aspirin for heart disease risk, you should not discontinue use based on this study, especially without first discussing the issue with your doctor. The association between aspirin and AMD requires further research. Based on this study, doctors may consider advising against aspirin for painkiller use for people who already have AMD.
You should discuss all medication changes and medical choices with your doctor.
To learn more about macular degeneration, please find an eye doctor in your area.
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at 11:25 pm and is filed under Macular Degeneration. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
