Men's Health

Using Aspirin in the Prevention of Strokes and Heart Attacks

Written by Mark Abell

Since the development of aspirin as a pain reliever in the 1800's, it has been used for many situations. Recent medical science has been able to apply other properties of aspirin in the prevention of recurring heart attacks and strokes. Both of these problems, which have many etiologies, occur more frequently in men than in women; however, as our society changes and more women enter the work force and are heads of households, the numbers are changing slowly. Men, however, still lead the pack. Both heart attacks and strokes remain two of the leading causes of death in the United States as well as other industrialized nations.

Aspirin, otherwise known as acetylsalicylic acid, was the first of the Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) to be produced and manufactured for the relief of pain. It works by inhibiting the production and release (synthesis) of prostaglandins (proteins) which cause pain. Aspirin, however, is also used as an antipyretic; it brings a fever down. In recent years (latter part of this century) properties of aspirin that causes it to "thin blood" have been used to help prevent recurring heart attacks and strokes. By preventing blood clotting (in layman's terms, we say that this is the "thinning process"), studies have shown a decrease in the amount of recurrent strokes and heart attacks in those who have already suffered one or both of these ailments. If you have a history of a heart attack or a stroke, you are probably already taking aspirin (or Coumadin - another blood "thinning" drug). The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is supposed to be ruling on yet another use of aspirin - preventing the "first" heart attack or stroke, but the jury on that is not yet out.

Heart attacks and strokes are devastating. They (more often than not) leave the victim with less abilities than before (providing they survive the first attack). A stroke is much like a heart attack in that it can be called a "brain attack"; the reasons for the problem are very similar in most cases in that the organ, whether it being the brain or the heart, is oxygen deficient (due to a sudden loss of blood supply) for a period long enough to produce the death of cells. Aspirin has been promoted as one of the few "wonder drugs". By using aspirin (as deemed appropriate by your physician), your blood is more or less "protected" from clotting. Since some strokes are caused by a problem with the heart (called atrial fibrillation - when one or both of the atria fibrillate or act "abnormally" with respect to the frequency of their beats), the blood sometimes clots in the atrium, then travels to the brain, where it becomes "lodged"; hence, the blood cannot travel further from the clot, and a "brain attack" occurs. The same basic principle can be said about the heart, although the mechanisms are somewhat different.

Aspirin is not altogether a safe drug. In fact, some say that if aspirin were "up for approval" by the FDA today, it would probably not be approved as an over-the-counter drug - it can be dangerous. One need only look at the most dangerous reason for poisoning among toddlers - the ingestion of (large amounts) of baby aspirin - as an example. Aspirin should not be used in a person who suffers from any form of gastritis or peptic ulcer disease (ulcers in the stomach) as it can cause severe bleeding. Because of its potential dangers to the lining of the stomach, aspirin should never be taken without food. There have been cases of severe gastric bleeding in patient with a history of ulcers; your doctor should have your medical history and should ask you about problems with your stomach before promoting the use of aspirin chronically. And, Moms - never use aspirin for the treatment of a fever in a child - it can cause Rye's Syndrome, which can be fatal.

When used properly and under the direction of your physician, or instructions from a nurse, aspirin has been proven to be relatively safe. For the treatment of recurrent heart attacks and strokes, most people need only one baby aspirin a day. That should be sufficient. Some doctors recommend taking a full 325 mg dose in the morning after breakfast, but follow your own doctor's orders. Before any kind of surgery, even dental work, the physician or dentist should tell you to stop the aspirin (when appropriate) at least three to five days before the procedure. This is because it generally takes that long for the body to produce platelets (aspirin, in this sense, works by inhibiting the formation of platelets, which decreases the risk of clot formation).

The Internet is literally inundated with information about aspirin; and there is also a lot of information available about the use of aspirin to treat either heart attacks or strokes. The reader should search the Internet using key words such as "strokes" or "heart attacks" and then further define the search using "aspirin". No links are provided here due to the enormous amount of information available.

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