healthcare notes
An Aspirin Could Save Your Life Even though taking a baby aspirin daily has been shown to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke, it may not be the correct therapy for every person, according to geriatricians at the Reynolds Institute’s Thomas & Lyon Longevity Clinic. Aspirin is readily available, but check with your physician before you start a daily aspirin therapy. Also be aware that stopping your daily aspirin therapy may have a rebound effect – stopping may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. If you have been on daily aspirin therapy and want to stop, it is important that you talk with your doctor before making any changes. The rebound effect of stopping this daily regimen may trigger a blood clot.
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If you are experiencing heart attack symptoms, doctors recommend chewing or swallowing one plain regular-strength or two to four baby aspirins. Chewing the aspirin speeds up the absorption process and minimizes any delay in the beneficial effects. You should still take aspirin if symptoms occur, even if you are on the daily aspirin therapy. Aspirin interferes with your blood’s clotting action. For example, when you bleed from a cut or scratch, your platelets or clotting cells form a seal at the site of the wound to help stop the bleeding. This clotting can also happen within the vessels that supply blood to your heart and brain. If your blood vessels are already narrowed from atherosclerosis (the
accumulation of fatty deposits in your arteries) a blood clot can form quickly and block the artery that feeds the brain or heart. Aspirin reduces the clumping action of the platelets, thereby reducing the risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Both aspirin and ibuprofen reduce the clotting action of blood platelets, but ibuprofen can counteract the benefit of daily aspirin therapy when they are taken together. Aspirin is still effective if it is taken two hours before a single dose of ibuprofen. However, taking multiple doses of ibuprofen daily or taking ibuprofen before aspirin can sometimes prevent aspirin from working effectively. Occasional use of ibuprofen – less than 60 days a year – is usually okay. If you only need a single dose of ibuprofen, take it eight hours before or 30 minutes after the aspirin. If you need to take ibuprofen more often, talk to your physician about other medication alternatives. With all of the amazing medical advances and the new medications available, it is reassuring to know that aspirin is still an effective, affordable and simple option for many people who are at risk of heart attack and stroke.
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