New research indicates aspirin may not increase a person's risk for recurring bleeding in the brain.

Aspirin is often prescribed to prevent blood clots in people at risk for ischemic stroke. But since aspirin may cause bleeding, it's often avoided by people at risk for brain hemorrhages.

Researchers followed more than 200 survivors of brain hemorrhages and noted the affects of anti-platelet drugs, such as aspirin. They found 7 out of 46 patients who were prescribed aspirin had recurrent bleeding.

"We observed no association between aspirin use and an increased risk of recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage,” said lead author Dr. Anand Viswanathan, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Viswanathan said aspirin might be an effective treatment for brain hemorrhage survivors who are at risk for ischemic stroke. But he said more study is needed to confirm the findings.

The study is published in Monday's issue of Neurology.