Daily aspirin therapy may not be
as
simple
as thought
nor without risk
In recent years, you may have seen
television ads promoting aspirin's ability to reduce the risk of heart
attack and stroke in certain groups of people. You should know that
deciding to take an aspirin a day is not as simple as it may seem. The
FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) has launched a
public education campaign to remind consumers that aspirin is not
without risk; the decision to use aspirin to prevent a heart attack and
stroke is safest when made in consultation with a health professional.
It's been about 100 years since
aspirin was created. And in that time, it has played a major role in
treating headaches, fever, and minor aches and pains for millions. Now
there are studies showing that aspirin is helpful in lowering the chance
of a heart attack and clot-related stroke.
Still, most health professionals agree
that long-term aspirin use to prevent a heart attack or stroke in
healthy people is unnecessary. If you are using aspirin to lower the
risk of heart attack and stroke and you haven't talked with a health
professional about it, you may be putting your health at risk.
Aspirin can help prevent a heart
attack or clot-related stroke by lowering the clotting action of the
blood's platelets. But the same properties that make aspirin work in
stopping blood from clotting may also cause unwanted side effects, such
as stomach bleeding, bleeding in the brain, kidney failure, and other
kinds of strokes. There may be a benefit to daily aspirin use if you
have some kind of heart or blood vessel disease, or if you have evidence
of poor blood flow to the brain. But only a doctor can tell you whether
the risks of long-term aspirin use may be greater than the benefits.
If your health professional agrees to
your use of daily aspirin treatment, you'll need his or her medical
knowledge and guidance to help prevent unwanted side effects. Before
deciding if daily aspirin use is right for you, your health professional
will consider such factors as your medical and family history, your use
of other medicines, your allergies and sensitivities, and what side
effects you may experience.
Some medical conditions, such as
pregnancy, high blood pressure, bleeding disorders, asthma, stomach
ulcers, and liver and kidney disease, could make aspirin a bad choice
for you. Aspirin is also a drug that can mix badly with other medicines
(prescription and over-the-counter), vitamins, herbals, or dietary
supplements. People who are already using a prescribed medicine to thin
the blood should talk to a health professional before using aspirin,
even occasionally. It's important to discuss the use of all medicines,
vitamins and dietary supplements with your health professional before
using aspirin daily.
You should also discuss the different
forms of aspirin products that might be best suited for you. Not all
over-the-counter pain relievers have aspirin, so it's important to read
the label carefully. Some drug products combine aspirin with other pain
relievers or with certain other ingredients and should not be used as
long-term aspirin treatment.
There are no directions on the label
for using aspirin to reduce the risk of heart attack or clot-related
stroke. Your health professional can provide the dose and directions
that will give you the most benefit with the fewest side effects.
Whether you are using aspirin daily to lower the risk of a heart attack
or a clot-related stroke, or for any other purpose not listed on the
aspirin's label, the dose does matter. It's important that the dose you
use and the frequency with which you use it are right for you.
For a free brochure and fact sheet on
aspirin and the heart:
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