Often referred to as a "wonder drug," aspirin is one of the oldest known medicines. An inexpensive and often well-tolerated drug, it lowers pain and eases inflammation. A trade name for acetylsalicylic acid, aspirin interferes with platelets in the blood, making it less likely to clot.
Traditionally, aspirin has been used as a painkiller. But in recent years, more attention has been given to its benefits for protecting the heart. Studies show that an aspirin a day may lower the risk of problems if you have coronary artery disease, a heart attack or angina. And experts say that more research is finding new uses and ways to improve its performance.
What to Look for
There's an expanded array of over-the-counter aspirins. Experts say that low-cost generic aspirin is as effective as more costly name brands. According to one leading company, if the ingredients of the name brand match the ingredients of the store brand, there's a "good chance that the medicines are virtually identical." You can save up to 70 percent using generic medications compared with brand name products.
Common Pitfalls
Though aspirin can work wonders, medical studies have shown that aspirin does not have the same effect on everyone. For some people, aspirin may irritate the stomach lining and cause internal bleeding. Research shows that a slower-release form of aspirin with an enteric coating is less likely to cause that problem. Other risks that should be monitored include kidney and liver damage.
If your doctor told you to take aspirin to help prevent a heart attack, you need to know that taking another over-the-counter pain medication at the same time may interfere with the benefits of aspirin for the heart. It's all right to use them together, but the FDA suggests contacting your doctor for more information on the timing of when to take these two medicines, so that both can be effective.
To determine if aspirin is working to suppress the production of thromboxane, a chemical that causes the platelets to become sticky, ask your doctor about the "AspirinWorks" test. Log onto www.healthCheckUSA.com or call toll free (800) 929-2044 for more information.
Make sure that your doctor and pharmacist are aware of all the drugs you are taking. Consult your pharmacist. She may be more accessible than your doctor and more aware of drug side effects and interactions.
"If you're looking for simple occasional headache relief, I personally take regular aspirin, and I buy the cheapest stuff I can find, because it's all same," says Peter T. Ostrow, M.D., Ph.D, an associate professor of pathology and neurology at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. "But, I'm one of those fortunate people whose pain is relieved by aspirin and who doesn't experience any side effects from aspirin."
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