Sheffield medical experts and colleagues from the University of Nottingham carried out a study of almost 12,000 patients and found most healthy men aged over 48 and women over 57 would benefit.

Aspirin makes it harder for blood clots to form by 'thinning' blood, helping prevent heart attacks caused when a blood vessel is blocked by a clot.

Dr Iskander Idris, the study leader and an honorary senior lecturer at Sheffield University, said it may even be realistic to routinely prescribe aspirin to the over-50s.

But he added: "The final decision about use of aspirin must eventually be made after discussion with a healthcare provider."

The results of the research were first published in Heart Journal, showing that for those over 50, the 10-year coronary heart disease risk is 10 per cent, at which point the benefits of the drug outweighed the risks – apart from those with diabetes or high risk of bleeding.

The evidence was not clear if diabetics are likely to benefit from aspirin because of their high heart disease risk.

For the over-75s who are more likely to suffer bleeding complications, the decision to take aspirin should be made on a case-by-case basis.

Dr Mike Knapton, director of prevention and care at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Currently the recommendations in the UK are that aspirin is prescribed after a full risk assessment under medical supervision to those who have established cardiovascular disease. For these people the benefits of taking aspirin outweigh the risks.

"Further robust research is needed before aspirin should be considered as a blanket primary prevention measure in the UK."



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