For over 100 years, aspirin has been used as a pain reliever.
Since the 1970s, aspirin has also been used to prevent and manage
heart disease.
How does aspirin benefit the heart?
- Decreases pain. Aspirin fights pain and inflammation
associated with heart disease by blocking the action of an enzyme
called cyclooxygenase. When this enzyme is blocked, the body is
less able to produce a substance called prostaglandin, which is a
chemical that signals an injury and triggers pain.
- Inhibits blood clots. Some of the prostaglandins in the
blood trigger a series of events that cause blood platelets to
clump together and form blood clots. Thus, when aspirin inhibits
prostaglandins, it inhibits the formation of blood clots, as well.
Blood clots are harmful because they can clog the arteries leading
to the heart, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and
reduce the short-term risk of death among people suffering from
heart attacks.
- Reduces the risk of polyp recurrence in people with a
history of colon polyps.
- Reduces the risk of death. Research has shown that
regular aspirin use is associated with a marked reduction from
death due to all causes, particularly among the elderly, people
with heart disease, and people who are physically unfit.
Who may benefit from aspirin therapy?
- People with coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis anywhere
in the body (such as the brain or legs)
- People who have had a heart attack*
- People who have undergone bypass surgery to treat heart
disease, or have angina (chest pain)
- People with any risk factor for heart disease or a heart
attack
- Men over the age of 40 and women over the age of 50
- Postmenopausal women
- People who have had a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or
ischemic stroke
* If you are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, call
9-1-1. If you do not have a history of aspirin allergy, emergency
personnel may advise that you chew one aspirin slowly. It's
especially effective if taken within 30 minutes of the onset of
symptoms.
What are the risks and benefits of aspirin therapy?
Benefits
- Aspirin can significantly reduce heart damage during a heart
attack and can prevent the occurrence of future heart
problems.
- Aspirin can reduce the risk of stroke.
Risks
- Aspirin can increase the risk of stomach ulcers and abdominal
bleeding.
- During stroke, aspirin can increase the risk of bleeding into
the brain.