Aspirin ; Drug Information
What is Aspirin?
Aspirin is a common medication used to relieve minor aches, pain, and fevers. It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and contains salicylate as an ingredient naturally found in plants like myrtle and willow tree. Sometimes doctors prescribe this medicine to prevent stroke, heart attacks, and chest pain also.
Patients can buy aspirin without a prescription because this medication can relieve headaches, reduce fever, and reduce swelling. If you have a high risk of heart attack or stroke, regularly taking aspirin can lower cardiovascular events. Doctors immediately give this medication to patients after a heart attack to prevent heart tissue death and further create blood clots.
Important Information
If you are suffering from bleeding symptoms like hemophilia or a recent history of intestine or stomach bleeding, this medication is not for you.
If you are allergic to NSAIDs like Orudis, Indocin, Lodine, Voltaren, Advil, Motrin, Aleve, Toradol, Mobic, Relafen, Feldene, and others, then do not use this medication.
Do not give this medication to any child to treat chickenpox, fever, or flu symptoms because this medicine can cause Reye’s syndrome that is a severe and sometimes fatal condition in children.
Aspirin can treat many symptoms, including relieving pain, swelling, managing various conditions, and reducing the chance of cardiovascular issues in people with a high risk.
Doctors do not recommend this medication for those below 18 years old because this medication increases Reye’s syndrome in children that can cause permanent brain injury or death.
However, in an exceptional condition such as Kawasaki disease or to prevent blood clots from forming after heart surgery, doctors may prescribe aspirin to a child under their supervision.
What to know before taking aspirin?
You do not take this medication if you are allergic to aspirin or if you have;
- a recent history of stomach or intestinal bleeding;
- a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia; or
- if you have ever had an asthma attack or severe allergic reaction after taking aspirin or an NSAID (a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve, Orudis, Indocin, Lodine, Voltaren, Toradol, Mobic, Relafen, Feldene, and others.
Talk to your therapist if you are suffering from;
- asthma or seasonal allergies;
- stomach ulcers;
- liver disease;
- kidney disease;
- a bleeding or blood clotting disorder;
- gout; or
- heart disease, high blood pressure, or congestive heart failure.
Under a doctor’s guidance, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may take low-dose of this medication. Doctors typically do not prescribe high-dose aspirin during pregnancy.
Anyone with an associated allergy to aspirin or other NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, should avoid these medications.
Doctors do not give aspirin during a stroke because blood clots are not responsible for all strokes. In some instances, aspirin could create a stroke worse.
Anyone who consumes alcohol daily or is undergoing surgical or dental treatment, however small, should consult a doctor before using aspirin.
Tell your physician if you frequently have an upset stomach, heartburn, or stomach pain. Suppose you have or have ever had anemia, ulcers, bleeding problems such as hemophilia, liver, or kidney disease.
How to take aspirin?
Take this medication precisely the same on the label or as directed by your physician. Do not use in excess or smaller quantities or for longer than your need.
Always follow all the directions on the medication label about administering aspirin to a child.
Take this medicine with food if it upsets your stomach.
It would help if you chewed the chewable pills before you swallow them.
Do not chew, break, crush, or open an enteric-coated or extended-release pill. Swallow the whole tablet.
If you require surgery, tell the surgeon before the time that you are taking aspirin. You may need to quit using this medication for a short time.
Do not take aspirin if it smells of a strong vinegar odor in the container. The medicine may no longer be useful.
Store at room temperature away from heat and moisture.
Aspirin dosage
You can take aspirin with food. Doses vary from 50mg to 6000mg daily and depending on the application.
- The usual dosage for mild to moderate pain is 350mg or 650mg every four hours or 500mg every six hours.
- Doses for rheumatoid arthritis are 500mg every 4 to 6 hours, 650mg every 4 hours, 1000mg every 4 to 6 hours, and 1950mg twice daily.
- If you are experiencing heart attack symptoms, you can chew 160mg to 325mg of non-enteric coated aspirin immediately.
- Heart attacks are prevented with 75mg, 81mg, 162mg, or 325mg daily.
- The dose for blocking another stroke is 75mg to 100mg daily.
Overdose
Overdosing symptoms may involve vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, fast or slow breathing, vision or hearing problems, or confusion.
Attempt emergency medical care or call the Poison Help line number at 1-800-222-1222.
What to avoid while using aspirin?
Avoid drinking alcohol while you are under the therapy of aspirin. Drinking alcohol in excess can increase the risk of stomach bleeding.
If you are taking aspirin to prevent stroke or heart attack, avoid taking ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Ibuprofen may make this medication less effective to protect your blood vessels and heart. If you must use both drugs, ask your physician how to manage your doses.
Ask a doctor or pharmacologist before using any allergy, cold, or pain medication. Many medicines available without prescription contain Aspirin or an NSAID. Taking some medicines together may make you get too much of the same type of medication. Check the label to see if a treatment contains aspirin, ketoprofen, naproxen, ibuprofen, or an NSAID.
Aspirin side effects
Most patients get to benefit from aspirin and other NSAID medications with few side effects. However, serious side effects may occur and generally tend to be dose-related. Therefore use the lowest effective dose to minimize side-effects.
The most common side-effects of aspirin involve ringing in the ears and the gastrointestinal system.
Ringing in the ears
- ringing in the ears occurs, reduce the daily dosage to get-rid off of these symptoms.
Gastrointestinal side effects are;
- nausea
- gastritis
- Sometimes, ulceration and bleeding may occur without any abdominal pain
- even gastrointestinal severe bleeding
- ulcerations
- abdominal burning
- pain
- cramping
- liver toxicity
- Black tarry stools, dizziness, and weakness may be the only signs of internal bleeding
Other side effects include:
- Rash,
- kidney impairment,
- vertigo, and
Other side effects and adverse reactions
- Aspirin is not for patients with poor kidney function or peptic ulcer disease since this drug can aggravate both conditions.
- Aspirin may raise the blood uric acid level and is not for use in gout and hyperuricemia patients.
- Aspirin may exacerbate asthma.
- Teenagers should avoid this medication for chickenpox or flu symptoms because of Reye’s Syndrome’s associated risk, an acute disease of the nervous system and liver that can lead to unconsciousness and death.
- Aspirin can improve medicines used to heal diabetes mellitus, resulting in abnormally low blood sugars.
- Discontinue NSAIDs before elective surgery because of a moderate tendency to conflict with blood clotting. Aspirin, because of its extended effect on platelets, is best discontinued 10-14 days before the procedure.
What drugs can interact with aspirin?
Aspirin is associated with several probable interactions that may affect the action of other medicines. The given examples are the most common suspected interactions of this medicine.
- A blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven), or other medicines used to prevent blood clots
- Other salicylates such as Kaopectate, KneeRelief, Nuprin Backache Caplet, Pamprin Cramp Formula, Trilisate, Pepto-Bismol, Tricosal, and others
Before using this medication, ask your doctor if you take an antidepressant such as escitalopram, fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine, citalopram, paroxetine, sertraline (Zoloft), trazodone, or vilazodone. Taking any of the given medicines with an NSAID may lead you to bruise or bleed easily.