Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a CNN medical analyst, dismissed President Trump’s daily aspirin routine as unsound.
The cardiologist, who treated the late Vice President Dick Cheney, reacted Thursday to Trump’s claims in the Wall Street Journal.
Trump told the Journal he takes a larger dose of aspirin to thin his blood, despite advice from doctors to reduce intake.
“I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” said Trump, 79. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
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Reiner fired back on CNN’s The Lead, saying, “That actually makes nonsense.”
“First of all, when we use any kind of anticoagulant, medications to prevent clotting, those don’t thin the blood,” he added. “It’s not like changing something from gumbo to chicken soup. It doesn’t make it thinner. It makes you less likely to clot.”
The American Heart Association notes that aspirin can prevent clots, but people over 70 taking it to avoid a first heart attack or stroke can actually be harmed because of bleeding risk.
Trump, the oldest president ever sworn in, has repeatedly dismissed concerns over his health.
He told the Journal he had a CT scan for cardiovascular and abdominal imaging at Walter Reed in October during a “secondary” physical.
Trump said he also took a cognitive test and MRI scan during the visit, and that the MRI 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?’ Well, nothing’s wrong,” he added.
His physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, explained in a memo that the scans were done because “men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health.”
He described the assessment as “standard for an executive physical at President Trump’s age” and said the tests “revealed no abnormalities.”
Trump also defended his cognitive health on social media. On Truth Social Friday, he wrote, “The White House Doctors have just reported that I am in ‘PERFECT HEALTH,’ and that I ‘ACED’ (Meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for the third straight time, my Cognitive Examination, something which no other President, or previous Vice President, was willing to take.”
Trump has also defended his high-dose aspirin, which he says explains visible bruising on his hands. “They’d rather have me take the smaller one,” he said. “I take the larger one, but I’ve done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.”
He insisted he still has energy, pointing to his family history. “Genetics are very important,” Trump said. “And I have very good genetics.”
Featured image via YouTube screengrab
