President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Thursday that he takes a higher dose of aspirin than doctors recommend, sparking new questions about his health because of visible hand injuries.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning the blood, and I don’t want to have thick blood in my heart,” Trump, 79, said of why he takes the large dose. “I want a nice, thin bleed from my heart. Does that make sense?”
“I’m a little superstitious,” the president added, noting that he’s been taking aspirin for 25 years.
The interview appeared to be one of Trump’s most extensive hedges with reporters about his health, as scrutiny has intensified this year over his age, fitness for office and whether he is being transparent enough with his medical information. Trump had a long-standing injury to his right hand, CNN reported, before returning to the White House. But it drew more attention when she covered it with heavy make-up and bandages and tried to shield it from the camera with her other hand. Observers have expressed concern about her swelling in her legs and appearing drowsy at public events.
Dr. Trump’s doctor. Sean Barbabella told the Journal that the president takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily. According to the Mayo Clinic, a low dose of aspirin, which “may help prevent heart attack or stroke,” between 75 and 100 milligrams and a range of 81 milligrams is generally recommended. The Mayo Clinic also states that for aspirin therapy, the daily dose is “typically” between 75 and 325 milligrams.
Aspirin helps thin the blood, which can prevent clots from forming, but it also comes with a risk of excessive bleeding. In recent years, medical guidelines have stopped prescribing daily aspirin to many adults because the risks outweigh the benefits, and some recommend that patients stop aspirin therapy altogether after age 70.
CNN reached out to the White House for comment on his interview with the Journal.
In a series of incidents last week, Trump — who last year became the oldest president to take the oath of office — appeared with discoloration or light bruising on the back of his right hand, as well as several persistent bruises on his right arm that had been visible for months.
The White House has previously stated that the injury to his right hand was caused by constant hand-shaking and a regular regimen of aspirin, which may have made the deformity more common.
While medical experts told CNN there was no new cause for concern, the injury raised questions about the White House’s reluctance to be more transparent about the president’s health.
In the interview, Trump also discussed the scan he had in October, which he previously described to reporters as an MRI. At the time, the president gave few details about the procedure or what the doctors were trying to explore, telling reporters they would have to ask their doctors.
When asked by the Journal about the scan, Trump said it was not an MRI but a CT scan. Barbabella told the Journal that this was done “to definitively rule out any cardiac problems.”
“It wasn’t an MRI,” Trump said. “It was less than that. It was a scan.”
Earlier this month, Barbabella released a memo saying that October medical imaging was of Trump’s cardiovascular and abdominal systems and that both showed “absolutely normal” results.
Trump similarly addressed the steps he’s taken to treat other conditions, including swelling in his lower legs that the White House announced in July was due to chronic venous insufficiency — a common condition often found in older people.
Trump told the Journal that he tried compression stockings but “didn’t like them.” He also said that he does not want to exercise regularly.
“I don’t like it. It’s boring,” Trump said. “Walking on a treadmill or running for hours and hours on a treadmill, like some people do, is not for me.”
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