Is it common for doctors to put the elderly aspirin therapy even if they've not had a stroke or heart attack?

Depending on the patient's medical history, it IS common to use aspirin as a preventative.

Hi,

It actually is common to put elderly people ( not that I am calling your mother "elderly") on a routine baby aspirin. Research has shown that it works well in prevention of stroke and heart attack. There may be a chance that her blood work has shown something to the doctor that indicates she may be at higher risk. Aspirin has been proven to be helpful even in young, healthy people.

That being said, having deep purple bruises indicates she is on TOO much aspirin therapy. She may need to lower her dose or go to taking one every other day. Don't encourage her to make any dosage changes without talking with her doctor, but I can pretty much tell you that her doctor is most likely not aware that she is bruising too easily. If he/she did, the dose would already be lowered.

The danger is that although strokes can be caused by blood clots, they can also be caused by hemorrhages within the brain. Too much of anything that thins the blood can lead to damage.

I would encourage you to talk to your mom and make sure she has reported the bruising to the doctor. Also, remind her that even over the counter medications, but especially fish oil / omega 3 supplements also have significant blood thinning properties, so her doctor also needs to know all medications she is on, both prescription and over the counter.

For more information on how to configure a complete medication list your mom can take to the doctor, try here:

http://www.elder-home-care-help.com/medication-lis...

Hope that helps.

No, it is not a routine thing, as aspirin thins out the blood, and maybe she has a condition which she chooses not to discuss with you, which is her right.