AKIPRESS.COM - Taking aspirin regularly does not significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks or stroke, a study has found, Sky News reports.

It had previously been thought by many that a low daily dose of the blood-thinning medicine benefits older people.

But a study involving more than 19,000 participants has found that there is no significant advantage and that taking aspirin regularly can instead lead to a slightly increased risk of serious bleeding.

Lead researcher Professor John McNeil, of Monash University, Australia, said the study proves many older people may be taking the medicine "unnecessarily".

"Despite the fact that aspirin has been around for more than 100 years, we have not known whether healthy older people should take it as a preventive measure to keep them healthy for longer.

"Aspirin is the most widely used of all preventive drugs and an answer to this question is long overdue.