What is Aspirin Tablet: Benefits, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions

Aspirin is a household medicine that contains acetylsalicylic acid. One most common aspirin tablet used is for reducing fever and pain. If given shortly after a heart attack, it may even lower the risk of death. Is aspirin an anti-inflammatory drug? Yes, it has anti-inflammatory properties. As a result of this, it can help reduce inflammation.

This medicine can also help treat certain mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Low doses of an aspirin tablet are safe and efficacious for the treatment of depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder [1]. It is also used to treat a few inflammatory conditions like:

• Rheumatic fever
• Kawasaki disease
• Pericarditis

Read on to know more about the aspirin tablet, its usage, and more.

What is Aspirin?

Aspirin Tablet Uses For Health

There are many uses for an aspirin tablet, but the most common is relief from pain and swelling. Apart from that, aspirin tablet use also includes preventing and treating heart conditions. Given below is a detailed use of an aspirin tablet.

For Relief From Swelling And Pain

Using an aspirin tablet for headache, muscle pain, fever, menstrual pain, sprain, and other conditions is common across the globe. But it is also used to provide relief from pain and swelling that occurs because of certain long-term conditions. These conditions include - arthritis (rheumatoid and osteoarthritis), systemic lupus, and other rheumatic conditions [3].

Preventing And Treating a Stroke

A stroke occurs when your brain does not get a sufficient supply of blood. It is a serious medical condition that requires immediate medical intervention. Low doses of aspirin tablets can help prevent ischemic or mini-strokes. Ischemic stroke happens when there is no supply of blood due to the formation of blood clots. Mini stroke or transient ischemic attack in which blood supply is cut for a short period. If you have experienced a stroke or a mini-stroke in the past, you can take aspirin. However, you cannot take aspirin to treat hemorrhagic stroke, which causes bleeding in the brain.

Limiting The Occurrence of Heart Attacks

As mentioned earlier, aspirin can interfere with the blood clotting mechanism. When you bleed, platelets help in sealing the wound opening and arrest your bleeding. If there is a blood clot in the arteries due to plaque buildup, your blood vessels become narrow. This can tear your blood vessels and form clots. These clots may lead to heart attacks. 

When you take low doses of aspirin, it reduces the clotting mechanism of platelets, thereby reducing the risk of heart attacks. Though there are much aspirin uses, it is advisable to use it under medical guidance. In addition, your doctor may ask you to take aspirin in the following cases. 

• You are diabetic
• You are a smoker
• Your cholesterol levels are high
• You have hypertension

Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis And Other Conditions

Aspirin can be used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus, and other rheumatic conditions [3]. RA is a condition that causes inflammation in your joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system considers your joints as foreign bodies and causes damage. This results in severe pain and inflammation. By taking aspirin, you can reduce inflammation and get relief from the pain. This is one of the important aspirin tablets used for you to know. While there are much aspirin uses, make sure to take the drug according to the doctor’s prescription so that you do not experience any aspirin side effects. 

Managing And Treating Coronary Conditions

While you are aware of aspirin use in preventing cardiovascular problems, aspirin also helps manage and treat coronary conditions. After a heart attack or any bypass surgery, doctors prescribe aspirin to stop the formation of clots which can damage your cardiac tissues. Aspirin functions like a blood thinner by enabling the smooth flow of blood through arteries and veins.  

Lowering Inflammation in Kawasaki Disease

Kawasaki disease is a condition commonly affecting children below five years. This is a condition that results in the inflammation of blood vessels. Due to the inflammation, children develop a fever along with symptoms like

• Swelling of neck glands
• Redness in eyes and tongue
• Swelling in the feet and hands

While you know that salicylate in aspirin helps reduce inflammation and fever, it is one of the vital aspirin used in this context.

Precautions For Aspirin:

Follow these precautions before taking this drug [4].

• Before deciding to consume aspirin, consult your doctor
• Explain your medical history to your doctor. This includes conditions like
  • Allergies
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Nasal polyps
  • Asthma
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Inform your doctor about other health conditions and symptoms, if any
• In case of a surgical procedure, inform the surgeon or anesthesiologist about your aspirin dose

Benefits of Taking Aspirin Daily:

Though consuming aspirin has various benefits, do not take it daily unless your doctor prescribes it to you this way. Taking it occasionally is safe for most adults, but it also requires a doctor’s recommendation. Daily aspirin therapy includes two ways:

Prevention at The Primary Stage

This is ideal if you have never faced a heart condition like blocked arteries. Taking this medicine may prevent such heart conditions at a primary stage.

Prevention at The Secondary Stage

This is suitable if you have already faced a heart condition. You may use aspirin to prevent another occurrence.

What To Avoid While Taking Aspirin?

After taking an aspirin tablet, avoid the consumption of alcohol. Also, be sure to consult your doctor before taking any other medicine such as Ibuprofen.

Aspirin Drug Interactions

Before you take any medicine, it is important to know how it interacts with other drugs. These interactions may make your drug ineffective or even cause harm to your health. Similarly, there are many aspirin side effects when combined with other drugs. If you take aspirin with anti-inflammatory painkillers, it may cause stomach bleeding. Taking drugs like ibuprofen alongside aspirin can minimize its effectiveness in preventing cardiac ailments. When aspirin is taken with warfarin, which is a blood thinner, it can reduce the anticoagulative effects of warfarin and cause excess bleeding. So, make sure to inform your doctor about the medicines you are taking to avoid aspirin side effects.

Side Effects of Aspirin

While low doses of it help prevent certain conditions, this medicine can also have some side effects. Following are the common low dose aspirin side effects that you may experience

• Sour stomach or acidity
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Fast heartbeats or hyperventilation
• Nervousness or restlessness
• Nausea or loss of appetite

In some rare cases, you may experience severe side effects. Following are some aspirin adverse effects 

• Hearing loss or ringing
• Bleeding or inflammation in the stomach
• Vomiting or blood in vomit

Be sure to contact a doctor immediately if you experience any side effects of this medicine.

Aspirin is a very useful medicine that can help in the treatment as well as prevention of various health conditions. Ensure you take it under proper guidance and after consulting with a doctor. This is especially important if you are undergoing any kind of treatment. It is easily available by prescription or over the counter. Always check the expiry date of the medicine before buying it. 

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