According to the American Heart Association about 1 in 5 people who have had a heart attack will have a second one within five years. The risk increases to 1 in 4 for another ischemic (clot-related) stroke. Recent updates have led to confusion among healthcare providers and patients alike about the use of aspirin for cardiovascular prevention. The updated guidelines do not include patients who take a doctor-directed aspirin regimen for secondary prevention, which is when someone takes aspirin because they have already had a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or ischemic (clot-related) stroke, and want to help prevent another one from occurring. Aspirin is not appropriate for everyone. Talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. The CDC says that aspirin continues to be a life-saving preventative treatment for many patients who have already had a cardiovascular event and three key things to keep in mind.