While President Donald Trump has been vocal about his good health, one doctor is questioning his use of aspirin.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who was a cardiologist for the late former Vice President Dick Cheney, said the president’s regimen “makes no sense,” per The Hill.
Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal published an interview with the president who noted he takes a larger dose of the pain reliever to thin his blood. However, his doctors would like him to reduce the dosage.
“I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump said. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
But Reiner told host Phil Mattingly on CNN’s “The Lead” this “makes no sense.”
“That actually makes nonsense,” Reiner said. “First of all, when we use any kind of anticoagulant, medications to prevent clotting, those don’t thin the blood. It’s not like changing something from gumbo to chicken soup. It doesn’t make it thinner. It makes you less likely to clot.”
Aspirin thins the blood and prevents clots from forming, according to the American Heart Association.
The AHA said individuals over 70 taking aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke can do more harm than good due to the risk of bleeding.
Trump, 79, is the oldest president to have taken the oath of office. He has consistently dismissed concerns over his health.
Trump told the Journal that he received a CT scan for cardiovascular and abdominal imaging at Walter Reed Medical Center in October.
In late October, Trump said he had a cognitive test and MRI scan. He said the MRI scan was “perfect.”
“I would have been a lot better off if they didn’t it, because the fact that I took it said, ‘Oh gee, is something wrong?’” Trump told the Journal. “Well, nothing’s wrong.”
Trump’s physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, revealed last month Trump’s the scans were done “because men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health” and said the assessment was “standard for an executive physical at President Trump’s age.”
