Aspirin is one of the common medicines, used to reduce fever and relieve pain, and some use it as a blood thinner.
Like other treatments, there are side effects of the drug and cases that are not suitable for it, so what is aspirin?
What is its effect on the body?
What is baby aspirin?
And what are its harms?
Is it safe for pregnant women?
And what about the nursing mother?
definition of aspirin
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
What does aspirin do in the body?
Aspirin is widely used to relieve mild to moderate pain and inflammation.
It is also used in low doses (75 mg daily) to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.
This dose does not have an analgesic effect.
It works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain, fever, and inflammation. It is also used to treat pain, reduce fever or inflammation, and to treat or prevent heart attacks, strokes, and sometimes chest pain (angina).
Aspirin for cardiovascular disease can only be used under the supervision of a doctor.
What are the reasons for using aspirin?
Fever relief.
Reduce mild to moderate pain such as muscle aches, toothaches, colds and headaches.
Reduce pain and swelling in conditions such as arthritis.
It may be used in a low dose to prevent blood clots, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack.
After surgery on blocked arteries (such as bypass surgery, carotid endarterectomy, coronary stenting) your doctor may direct you to use it in low doses as a "blood thinner" to prevent blood clots.
When should you take aspirin?
Take aspirin only on medical advice.
When should you not take aspirin?
Before taking aspirin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to salicylates, other pain relievers or antipyretics (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen), or if you have any other allergies.
Do not use this medicine if you have certain medical conditions.
Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have:
Bleeding or blood clotting disorders, such as hemophilia
Vitamin K deficiency
Low platelet count
Generally, people with the following conditions should discuss taking aspirin with their doctor before taking it:
Pregnancy or potential pregnancy, planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding.
Allergy to aspirin or its components, salicylates or NSAIDs.
Stomach problems, especially with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding.
coagulation disorder;
asthma.
Bean anemia (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency).
Aspirin is forbidden to children
Children and adolescents under 16 years of age should not take aspirin if they have had chickenpox, the flu or any other illness, or if they have recently received a vaccination. In these cases, taking aspirin increases the risk of developing Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious disease.
Tell your doctor right away if you notice changes in behavior with nausea and vomiting, as this could be an early sign of Reye's syndrome.
Reye's syndrome is a serious disease that usually affects children while recovering from a viral infection such as influenza or chickenpox, and it affects the whole body, but its damage to the brain and liver is more severe and dangerous, and in some cases it is fatal.
Its symptoms may appear a week after the symptoms of a viral disease such as influenza, chicken pox or even a cold, and it usually affects children from 4 to 12 years old, but it may affect children and adolescents at other ages as well.
Baby Aspirin
It should be noted that "Baby Aspirin" is a low-dose aspirin and is given to adults to reduce the risk of some diseases such as clots, based on the doctor's recommendation, and it is not allowed to be given to children, and it is not intended for infants and young children. Low pharmacokinetics, and does not mean that it is given to infants or children.
Aspirin and pregnancy
Aspirin is not recommended for treating pain or fever during pregnancy.
Before using this medication, women of childbearing age should talk to their doctor about the benefits and risks. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medication may harm an unborn baby and cause problems with normal labor/delivery.
Aspirin and breastfeeding
Aspirin passes into breast milk, and when used in large amounts (such as to treat pain or fever) it may harm a nursing infant and a breastfed infant.
Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Aspirin side effects
Aspirin side effects include:
upset stomach
heartburn
Bleeding or bruising
If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Dangerous signs of aspirin
Tell your doctor right away if you have any of the following serious side effects:
nausea
Vomiting that is severe or does not stop
Easy bruising
hardness of hearing
Ringing in the ears
Signs of kidney problems (such as a change in the amount of urine)
Unexplained fatigue
vertigo
dark urine
Yellowing of the eyes or skin
Stomach pain that is severe or does not go away
black stools
vomit that looks like coffee
difficulty speaking
Weakness on one side of the body
Sudden changes in vision or severe headache
Enlarged lymph nodes
rash
Itch
Swelling, especially of the face, tongue or throat
breathing difficulties
types of aspirin
Aspirin comes in different doses, such as:
caliber pills
81 mg
325 mg
500 mg
Chewable tablet
75 mg
81 mg
Enteric-coated tablet
81 mg
162 mg
325 mg
650 mg
High doses of aspirin - usually 300 mg - are used to relieve pain and reduce fever, swelling, headache, migraine, toothache, menstrual pain, cold and cold.
It is also possible to take low doses of aspirin "Baby Aspirin" - usually 75 mg - as an anti-platelet, that is, it makes the blood less viscous and capable of clotting, based on the advice of the doctor for some patients, such as those who have had a heart attack, angina or stroke.
How to stop aspirin
If you are taking aspirin to thin the blood, do not stop it suddenly without consulting your doctor.
Do not stop taking aspirin suddenly, as it can create a rebound effect that may lead to a heart attack, especially if you have already had it.
A 2017 Swedish study, published in the journal Circulation, found that stopping daily aspirin increased the risk of heart attack or stroke by 37%.