Now facts on aspirin therapy

HEALTH IS WEALTH
by: DR. ANGEL V. SOMERA

Every medicine has its own effects: good as well as side (bad) effects. – A medical fact.

Traditionally, as a medical remedy, aspirin has been used by people since 200 years back as a reliever of pain, fever-reducer and anti-inflammation agent. When I was a kid, my parents used to give me “Cafeaspirina” (a crushed tablet) to relieve my headache and fever.

Today, investigators have found another significant quality of aspirin - its anti-clotting properties. Aspirin or Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) was prescribed to patients who had a previous heart attack or stroke and also for angina pectoris (chest pain). Low-dose aspirin therapy was found to decrease the risk for subsequent cardiovascular attack. Life-threatening blood clots are at high risk of having another attack. Men are four times more at risk than women.

Researchers have found that taking aspirin after meal within a couple of hours after a heart attack could reduce the mortality by 23% during the first 5 weeks following the attack. Aspirin plays an important role in preventing a second or third heart attack on male patient. The effect of aspirin use in females is unclear.

The recommended adult dose of aspirin suggests that less than one (1) 100 mg tablet every other day taken after a meal is sufficient. The best and safest dose may be less than a quarter of a whole tablet. There is a safer adult dose preparation now, like the “COR” 30mg tablet, taken 1 tab daily after breakfast.

Bear in mind that regular aspirin use does have an undesirable side effects. It can cause gastro-intestinal distress and internal bleeding (hemorrhage) if taken in an empty stomach.

Aspirin is very acidic, such that it will cause increased acidity of the stomach or duodenum. Researchers claim that the most serious complication of aspirin use occurs in patients with uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) which is the leading cause of internal hemorrhage, such as stroke. Because aspirin promotes bleeding, the risk of a stroke of this type becomes greater than aspirin’s preventive effect against heart attack. Vulnerable are the drinkers and smokers.

Take note, aspirin is not a cure. It is a mild muscular skeletal pain killer and should be taken as such. It is not for pains caused by smooth muscle spasm like stomach ache. Like all drugs, aspirin should be kept out of reach of children. Some children accidentally like to take aspillets as candies. Today, there are more effective pain killers, anti-fever and safer medicines, such as: paracetamol and ibuprofen. Aspirin is a poor anti-rheumatic medication.

There are specific anti-rheumatic medications now. So, consult your medical internist for best advice especially for peptic ulcer management.

Many have died on a silent chronic and sudden ulcer bleeding. One would ask, “Unsay namatyan niya?” A probable answer would be, “Gisakitan ra man to siya ug tiyan.” Bleeding of peptic ulcer could be the cause. So, beware, folks. Stop smoking for it increases acidity of your stomach – ask your doctor.