Aspirin for Your Heart
- How does aspirin work?
- Is aspirin safe?
- Can aspirin therapy help prevent recurrent heart attacks
or strokes?
- Who should take aspirin to prevent recurrent heart
attacks or strokes?
- What is the recommended dose for recurrent heart attack
prevention?
- Should healthy people take aspirin to prevent heart
attacks?
- Should you take aspirin if you suspect you are having
a heart attack?
- What are the possible side effects of long-term aspirin
use?
- Can aspirin prevent all kinds of stokes?
- Do other OTC drugs help treat or prevent heart attacks
or strokes?
- Who should avoid taking aspirin?
- Can aspirin be used for prevention and pain?
Cardiovascular Disease and Heart Attacks
- What should I know about cardiovascular disease?
- What are the risk factors for heart disease?
- How can I reduce my risk of cardiovascular disease?
- What should I know about diabetes in relation to cardiovascular
disease?
- What should I do if I suspect a heart attack?
- What is a heart attack?
How does aspirin work?
Aspirin reduces the production of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins,
which are produced in tissues throughout the body. Prostaglandins have many functions.
They are part of the chemical messenger systems involved in feeling pain, fever,
the redness and swelling that can accompany injuries, and even in contracting certain
muscles, for example, the uterus. Since aspirin lowers the amount of prostaglandins,
it can help alleviate conditions like pain, fever and the discomfort of menstrual
cramps.
Aspirin also reduces production of substances involved in the early stages of our
body's blood clotting mechanism. This is why doctors may prescribe aspirin, as part
of a regimen, for appropriate individuals to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events,
such as heart attack or stroke.
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Is aspirin safe?
It is important that you talk to your doctor to help you decide if an aspirin regimen
is right for you.
For most people, aspirin is safe when used as directed. But for some people aspirin
can cause side effects. Some of these side effects, such as bleeding in the stomach
or other bleeding, can be serious. This is rare and usually related to long term
use of high-dosage aspirin beyond traditional over-the-counter use.
Long term use of aspirin must be directed and monitored by your doctor.
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Can aspirin therapy help prevent recurrent heart attacks or strokes?
Aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks or ischemic
strokes (strokes caused by a blood clot). Aspirin also may save your life when taken
during a suspected heart attack. Both men and women may benefit from aspirin use.
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Who should take aspirin to prevent recurrent heart attacks or strokes?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of aspirin to reduce
the risk of heart attacks and strokes in men and women who have had a heart attack
or ischemic stroke. Aspirin is not appropriate for everyone, so be sure to talk
to your doctor before you begin or modify an aspirin regimen.
If you have one or more of the following conditions, talk to your physician about
whether an aspirin regimen is right for you:
- You have had a heart attack
- You have previously had an ischemic stroke or a mini-stroke
(transient ischemic attack)
- You have unstable or stable angina
- You have had certain heart procedures, such as angioplasty
or a bypass operation
People with certain conditions or taking certain medications should avoid aspirin.
For more information, see FAQ, “Who should avoid taking aspirin?”
or speak to your doctor.
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What is the recommended dose for recurrent heart attack prevention?
For recurrent heart attack prevention, the FDA endorses the use of aspirin in lower
dosages – between 75 - 325 mg – responding to research suggesting that lower doses
may reduce potential side effects but still maintain efficacy. Aspirin is not appropriate
for everyone, so be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen.
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Should healthy people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks?
For apparently healthy people without any symptoms of heart disease, the risks of
an aspirin therapy may outweigh the benefits. If you have high blood cholesterol,
diabetes, a family history of heart disease, or other major risk factors for a heart
attack, talk to your doctor about what you can do to reduce your risk of heart attack
and heart disease.
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Should you take aspirin if you suspect you are having a heart attack?
Studies show that taking aspirin as soon as a heart attack is suspected may reduce
the risk of death or complications from the heart attack. If you suspect you are
having a heart attack, get emergency medical care immediately. Ask your doctor now
if you should take aspirin in the event of a suspected heart attack.
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What are the possible side effects of long-term aspirin use?
Long-term aspirin use may be associated with side effects. These may include increased
or prolonged bleeding, stomach or intestinal, and stomach ulcers. For most people,
however, long-term aspirin use is safe when directed and monitored by a doctor.
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Can aspirin prevent all kinds of strokes?
It is important to know that there are two kinds of strokes. An ischemic stroke
is caused by a blood clot blocking the flow of blood in part of the brain. About
4 out of 5 strokes are ischemic. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding from
a burst blood vessel in the brain or on the surface of the brain. About 1 out of
5 strokes are hemorrhagic.
An aspirin regimen may help prevent a second ischemic stroke, but will not prevent
hemorrhagic strokes. In fact, aspirin use slightly increases the risk of hemorrhagic
stroke. If you have a history of stroke, make sure you know what kind of stroke
you had. Talk to your doctor and make sure aspirin use is right for you.
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Do other OTC drugs help treat or prevent heart attacks or strokes?
Aspirin is the only OTC drug that has been shown to prevent heart attack or ischemic
stroke. Although acetaminophen (for example, Tylenol®), ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®),
and naproxen sodium (Aleve®) are, like aspirin (Bayer® Aspirin), drugs that treat
pain and fever, only aspirin has demonstrated a beneficial effect for recurrent
cardiovascular event and stroke prevention.
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Who should avoid taking aspirin?
If you talk with your doctor about an aspirin regimen, ask if there is any reason
not to take aspirin. Some people have conditions that aspirin may make worse. In
general, your doctor will look at whether you have:
- An allergy to aspirin or other salicylates
- Asthma
- Stomach ulcers or a history of ulcers
- Inherited bleeding disorders (hemophilia) or acquired bleeding
disorders (liver disease or vitamin K deficiency)
- A history of hemorrhagic stroke (a stroke caused by bleeding
in the brain)
- Reduced liver or kidney function
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure
Tell your doctor if you have three or more alcoholic drinks every day.
Aspirin can interact with other drugs you may be taking. For example, if you are
taking a blood thinning medicine, such as heparin or warfarin, aspirin use can increase
your risk of bleeding.
Talk to your doctor about all of your medications - both nonprescription (OTC) and
prescription - before you begin an aspirin regimen.
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Can aspirin be used for prevention and pain?
For people on an aspirin regimen, additional aspirin can be taken for occasional
pain like headaches, muscle aches, fever, or minor arthritis pain. As with any aspirin
product the total maximum daily dose should not exceed 4,000 mg. Each dose should
still be taken every 4-6 hours as needed.
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What should I know about cardiovascular disease?
An estimated 80 million American adults (one in three) have one or more types of
cardiovascular disease. This includes high blood pressure (HBP), heart failure,
stroke and stable or unstable angina.
Of the 80 million, approximately 8 million suffer from a heart attack and 6.5 million
suffer from stroke over time.
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What are the risk factors for heart disease?
While some factors can be modified, others cannot. Factors that can be modified
are as follows:
- Obesity
- Tobacco Smoke
- Physical Inactivity
- High Cholesterol
- High Blood Pressure
Factors that cannot be modified are gender (male, female), age, if you have diabetes
or a family history of heart disease.
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How can I reduce my risk of cardiovascular disease?
You can reduce your risk of recurrent heart attack and stroke with a healthier lifestyle.
Ask your physician what you can do to reduce high blood pressure and high blood
cholesterol. Your physician can tell you about the benefits of quitting smoking,
losing weight, and exercising.
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What should I know about diabetes in relation to cardiovascular disease?
Diabetes is a disease which increases your risk of atherosclerosis, a mechanism
which narrows the blood vessels and clogs the arteries and increases your risk of
heart attack or ischemic stroke.
- Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about
2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes
- The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among people
with diabetes
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What should I do if I suspect a heart attack?
During a suspected heart attack, call 911 and take aspirin as directed by a doctor.
Studies show that taking aspirin as soon as a heart attack is suspected reduces
the risk of death or complications from the heart attack. If you suspect you are
having a heart attack, get emergency medical care immediately. Ask your physician
now if you should take aspirin if you think you are having a heart attack.
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What is a heart attack?
During a heart attack, one or more of the arteries supplying blood to the heart
muscle is blocked. This blockage severely reduces or stops blood supply to part
of the heart. If the blood supply is cut off for a long time, these heart muscle
cells could become irreversibly damaged. Disability or death can result, depending
on the level of damage
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