can Aspirin really save lives?

[Frankelly12]

I've been looking through websites and social media sites to here about stories of heart attack victims taking aspirin as they are experiencing chest pains. I want to hear your thoughts on this if it is true?

 

I've been asking my husband to carry around aspirin lately just in case. He is super stressed with his job and has always had high blood pressure. We are putting pills in his wallet right now but he has come home a few times and they have been lost. Maybe I should get the pill fob unless you all know of something more convenient?

[MidwestUSA]

Yes, get a pill fob, or a 35 mm film canister. Aspirin will degrade quickly when exposed to air, so should be kept in its original container (ideally). If he doesn't use them, replace them every week. If your bottle starts to smell like vinegar, dispose of them properly.

 

What's he doing for his BP?

[absoulutelyanna]

I used to be a flight attendant. We had aspirin on board for heart issues. For more serious cases, we had other things like Nitrolingual spray (for Angina). But, I do believe aspirin can save lives if administered correctly. Hope that helps a bit!

[truthtripper]

Cayenne pepper, which is a spice, also stops a heart attack. My dad carries around a small bottle of cayenne tincture(liquid) in his pocket. During an attack, place drops on the tongue every few seconds until symptoms subside. You can also use the powder, but this is not as practical to carry.

 

A few years ago my uncle was revived with cayenne before the ambulance arrived. It really is a miracle spice.

 

Also, regularly adding cayenne to food, is a great way to maintain heart health and normal blood pressure. Both high and low blood pressure can be treated with cayenne.

[Clarence_Boddicker]

Get a little brown bottle of nitro pills.

 

 

Don't you think it would be better for him to lose the weight, stop smoking, manage his reaction to stress better & stop eating crap like red meat, then hope for a magic pill to save him?

[HopeForTomorrow]

IMO yes, research has demonstrated this to be true. The antiplatelet effect of aspirin can restrict or lessen the cardiac damage that occurs during a heart attack. IMO the best dose is 325 mg (one regular strength tablet), not the enteric coated kind. For fastest results it should be chewed not swallowed. People who have had a prior heart attack or who are at risk for one (sounds like your husband) should also be considered for daily aspirin therapy - he should ask his doctor and then establish how that would affect the recommendation to take an additional aspirin during an event like chest pain (less clear cut).

 

Equally or more important (IMO) is preventing cardiac events (reduction of blood pressure and other risk factors) so don't forget about those.

[Penguin_hugs]

I'm a trainee Pharmacist. I know the guide for suspected heart attack is to chew on 300mg of aspirin immediately. This is because aspirin thins the blood in fast flowing blood vessels (such as the heart).

 

If you are having a heart attack- glyceryl trinitrate isn't going to do much even in pump or sublingual tablet form. It'll only help with angina attacks.

 

There has been a lot of hype in the news recently about aspirin being a wonder drug for all kinds of conditions- but I'd just like to point out that "junior aspirin" or Aspirin 75mg is only licensed in the UK to be sold if you have ALREADY had a heart attack or stroke in order to prevent another. Not to prevent one in the first place. If the dr prescribes it that is different. I have so many arguments with customers when I won't sell them aspirin. It also does nothing if you take it before a long flight to prevent DVT.

 

Aspirin is a drug that can be horrible on your stomach and cause gastrointestinal bleeding if taken inappropriately so please don't take it for the sake of it. Think Downton Abbey for the potential side effects if taken inappropriately without stomach protection!

 

As another poster said- your husband should start working on a healthier lifestyle. Reducing alcohol, saturated fat and salt consumption. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and getting some exercise- in addition to his medication

[Myragal]

As a nurse I say he should see his doctor, see his doctor and see his doctor.

 

We have no insight into his condition. No medical history. No medical chart. Nobody should be recommending aspirin but his doctor.

 

A person that is not healthy,high blood pressure, etc. should not be taking aspirin or anything else before getting the green light to do so. Did his doctor recommend aspirin?

 

Spend your time encouraging him to improve his health.

[dichotomy]

I'm a trainee Pharmacist.

There has been a lot of hype in the news recently about aspirin being a wonder drug for all kinds of conditions- but I'd just like to point out that "junior aspirin" or Aspirin 75mg is only licensed in the UK to be sold if you have ALREADY had a heart attack or stroke in order to prevent another. Not to prevent one in the first place. If the dr prescribes it that is different.

 

Interesting,

 

I was diagnosed with AFIB not due to heart condition. I was put on low dose aspirin (85mcg) to reduce the severity or risk of stroke that may occur in people with AFIB. However due to age and good health I am very very low risk. As I age, or health changes I understand that stronger thinners may be used.

[HopeForTomorrow]

Interesting,

 

I was diagnosed with AFIB not due to heart condition. I was put on low dose aspirin (85mcg) to reduce the severity or risk of stroke that may occur in people with AFIB. However due to age and good health I am very very low risk. As I age, or health changes I understand that stronger thinners may be used.

 

Or you may get lucky and spontaneously cardiovert. Especially if you're young.

 

But yeah, as you age and/or have more risk factors, if you still have A Fib in your later life you will probably graduate to warfarin or one of the newer (and nicer) oral anticoagulants.

 

That info about aspirin in the UK was interesting. Sounds like in the UK people can't buy aspirin OTC unless the pharmacist approves it. Quite a bit different than here.

[Tayla]

 

Aspirin is a drug that can be horrible on your stomach and cause gastrointestinal bleeding if taken inappropriately so please don't take it for the sake of it.

 

Thank you for bringing that caution to light. After peptic ulcers It was determined that aspirin was not to be used. After learning thru medical concerns, the gastro system is the link to far more things then people realize.

 

I have thin blood to begin with, but a HIGH risk of a stroke and heart disease.

So far, the change in diet has leveled out some of the test..

Nitro tabs can do wonders.... thanks also to the person that suggested cayenne pepper, it also has chemicals that help the heart.

[PogoStick]

Cayenne pepper -- I would be dubious of any "miracle", "natural" remedy. Especially one that can "treat" opposing conditions like high, AND low blood pressure.

 

Can Cayenne Pepper Really Stop a Heart Attack?

 

"In our conversation, Dr. Jones started by stating that capsaicin never had been found to stop a heart attack in its tracks. It was only shown to help protect the heart muscle (in mice)."

 

Regarding aspirin:

 

"Studies suggest taking an aspirin during a heart attack decreases the overall death rate. (It causes a 20 to 30 percent decrease in mortality; there’s no claim, however, that aspirin ever stops a heart attack in its tracks). "

 

"Also, with aspirin we have a good idea of the dosage needed and how much is in each pill. Cayenne may contain various amounts of the active ingredient, and even if we know the dose we’re getting, we don’t know how much is needed to prevent heart attacks and whether more than that would do more harm than good. "

[Els]

Pretty much what Midwest, Hope, and Penguin said. Also, I'd be concerned if his doctor was not working with him to regulate his BP and start preventive measures for heart issues - has he even been to see the doc? You need both short-term management/prevention (e.g. aspirin) and long-term BP management (lifestyle changes, plus medicines if lifestyle alone doesn't suffice).

 

After peptic ulcers It was determined that aspirin was not to be used

 

Who determined that aspirin was not to be used by whom, in what context? Don't generalize with things like these.

 

A one-time or occasional aspirin dose is highly unlikely to cause peptic ulcers. Regular use of aspirin and other NSAIDs can cause peptic ulcers but there are preventive medicines for that, if needed. Of course, you shouldn't be going on regular aspirin without a doc's prescription.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Elswyth

[truthtripper]

Cayenne pepper -- I would be dubious of any "miracle", "natural" remedy. Especially one that can "treat" opposing conditions like high, AND low blood pressure.

"

You may be interested to know, aspirin was actually developed from naturally occurring willow bark. Meadowsweet is another herbal salycilate which can be used instead of aspirin. Although herbal alternatives take longer to work, as the body has to convert salicin to it's acid form, their therapeutic effects last longer. They also have antioxidant and antibiotic properties which aspirin does not.

Edited November 9, 2015 by truthtripper

[Robert Z]

Those patients most in need of daily aspirin therapy are easy to identify. If you have a documented personal or family history of heart disease -- including heart attacks, stokes, or angina; if you have diabetes; or if you have multiple risks for the development of heart disease such as have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or are a smoker, you should most likely take a daily dose of aspirin (but always consult with your physician first). Although the optimal dose of aspirin in prevention of future heart disease is still unclear, doses of 75 milligrams, 100 milligrams, or 325 milligrams have been found to be equally effective.

 

Studies reviewed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force have shown that daily or every-other-day aspirin therapy reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 28%in persons who had never had a heart attack or stroke, but who were considered high-risk individuals.

An Aspirin a Day ... or Not?

 

[HopeForTomorrow]

You may be interested to know, aspirin was actually developed from naturally occurring willow bark. Meadowsweet is another herbal salycilate which can be used instead of aspirin. Although herbal alternatives take longer to work, as the body has to convert salicin to it's acid form, their therapeutic effects last longer. They also have antioxidant and antibiotic properties which aspirin does not.

 

Just to be clear, and IMO - many people like to think that herbal alternatives are somehow better because they are "natural". That is actually the opposite of the truth, because herbal supplements are not required to meet FDA regulations for approval in the same rigorous way that medications are - meaning companies that manufacture these herbal supplements are not required to prove that their label claims are correct (in terms of how much is in the capsule/tablet, what it is purported to do, etc). Also, a lot of these herbal meds interact with other medications and if your doc or pharmacist has no idea you're taking them, then they can't advise you of these hazards. Aspirin/salicylates are among the biggest offenders in terms of drug interactions and also potentially dangerous adverse events. So please do not think that taking "natural" forms of salicylate (or anything else) is in any way better or safer than taking aspirin that you buy at a pharmacy.

 

There isn't anything magically beneficial about naturally-occuring versus synthetic medications, IMO. In fact many prescription medications that are marketed and sold (FDA approved) are actually "naturally occurring". Not all are synthetic. For example, a fun fact that many patients used to freak out about is that Premarin (conjugated estrogens, used to be taken by a lot of postmenopausal women to alleviate the symptoms of menopause - before we knew that it actually increases cardiac-related mortality) is made from the urine of pregnant mares. That's about as natural as it gets.

 

That said, I agree completely with the post by Elswyth. One aspirin taken during a time of chest pain is highly unlikely to cause any kind of adverse event (unless the patient is allergic), so not too many docs are going to advise anyone against that, given the proven benefits. It's pretty much a blanket recommendation. The same is NOT true for regular, daily use of aspirin (or anything else).

 

"Studies suggest taking an aspirin during a heart attack decreases the overall death rate. (It causes a 20 to 30 percent decrease in mortality; there’s no claim, however, that aspirin ever stops a heart attack in its tracks). "

 

IMO... don't really need to "stop it in its tracks". Just need that 20-30 percent reduction in death rate.

[Penguin_hugs]

 

That info about aspirin in the UK was interesting. Sounds like in the UK people can't buy aspirin OTC unless the pharmacist approves it. Quite a bit different than here.

 

Pharmacy in the UK is VERY different to the US. I found this out on a recent visit. I felt like America was very "customer comes first- they always get what they want". I nearly dropped my tea when I saw an advert for prescription medicines on tv!! That is actually illegal in the UK.

 

Here you can't just buy something or ask your doctor to prescribe a drug because you heard it was a good one. Prescribers follow guidelines based on clinical studies that show which drugs have the best effect, lowest side effects and best cost value.

 

Here there are a class of medicines called P or Pharmacy medicines and they are kept behind a counter. Basically it is a pharmacist's right whether to allow you to buy something (although that can be delegated to assistants) and only for the list of conditions that is licenced for a pharmacy. (Like the aspirin example- the dr could prescribe it for A Fib, but you could only buy it OTC for secondary prevention of stroke or heart attack)

[HopeForTomorrow]

Pharmacy in the UK is VERY different to the US. I found this out on a recent visit. I felt like America was very "customer comes first- they always get what they want". I nearly dropped my tea when I saw an advert for prescription medicines on tv!! That is actually illegal in the UK.

 

Here you can't just buy something or ask your doctor to prescribe a drug because you heard it was a good one. Prescribers follow guidelines based on clinical studies that show which drugs have the best effect, lowest side effects and best cost value.

 

Here there are a class of medicines called P or Pharmacy medicines and they are kept behind a counter. Basically it is a pharmacist's right whether to allow you to buy something (although that can be delegated to assistants) and only for the list of conditions that is licenced for a pharmacy. (Like the aspirin example- the dr could prescribe it for A Fib, but you could only buy it OTC for secondary prevention of stroke or heart attack)

 

That is so interesting. Thank you for posting!

 

I have a BS and doctorate of pharmacy in the US, and also am an MD.

 

I hate the TV ads too. But I have to admit that I worked several years ago for a promotional agency. I quit after 2 years - could not stand it. Now work clinically again and also writing CME.

 

In the US we have some meds behind the pharmacist counter too, but they are very few (pseudoephedrine here because it is used to manufacture meth). And Plan B (birth control/abortion drug).

 

If aspirin were going up against the FDA now, it would never have been granted OTC. I think we all know this, which is why your country controls it. We don't here. We should.

[ASG]

 

Aspirin is a drug that can be horrible on your stomach and cause gastrointestinal bleeding if taken inappropriately so please don't take it for the sake of it. Think Downton Abbey for the potential side effects if taken inappropriately without stomach protection!

 

 

I was just thinking this as I was reading the thread! Aspirin is sooo aggressive on the stomach that taking it as a preventative measure just because you heard it was a good idea seems like lunacy!

[Els]

You may be interested to know, aspirin was actually developed from naturally occurring willow bark. Meadowsweet is another herbal salycilate which can be used instead of aspirin. Although herbal alternatives take longer to work, as the body has to convert salicin to it's acid form, their therapeutic effects last longer. They also have antioxidant and antibiotic properties which aspirin does not.

 

And the reason people are using aspirin instead of willowbark is because you can't predict the dosage in herbal form. There might be too much - in which case you suffer from toxicity - and there might be too little - in which case it doesn't work.

 

Nobody needs 'antioxidant and antibiotic properties' when you're suffering from a heart attack. If they desire antioxidants in their daily life there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that provide that. There is no need for 'antibiotic properties' in general unless you are suffering from an imminent bacterial infection - some bacteria are native to you and good for you.

 

Also, for all of those touting 'herbal remedies', be aware that the ones that actually WORK (to some extent, at least) have exactly the same side effects as the pills - because they contain the same chemicals, except in harder-to-determine amounts. So you're really not doing yourself any favours by taking them in aspirin's place.

 

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-955-willow%20bark.aspx?activeingredientid=955&activeingredientname=willow%20bark

[truthtripper]

Just to be clear, and IMO - many people like to think that herbal alternatives are somehow better because they are "natural". That is actually the opposite of the truth, because herbal supplements are not required to meet FDA regulations for approval in the same rigorous way that medications are - meaning companies that manufacture these herbal supplements are not required to prove that their label claims are correct (in terms of how much is in the capsule/tablet, what it is purported to do, etc). Also, a lot of these herbal meds interact with other medications and if your doc or pharmacist has no idea you're taking them, then they can't advise you of these hazards. Aspirin/salicylates are among the biggest offenders in terms of drug interactions and also potentially dangerous adverse events. So please do not think that taking "natural" forms of salicylate (or anything else) is in any way better or safer than taking aspirin that you buy at a pharmacy.

 

There isn't anything magically beneficial about naturally-occuring versus synthetic medications, IMO. In fact many prescription medications that are marketed and sold (FDA approved) are actually "naturally occurring". Not all are synthetic. For example, a fun fact that many patients used to freak out about is that Premarin (conjugated estrogens, used to be taken by a lot of postmenopausal women to alleviate the symptoms of menopause - before we knew that it actually increases cardiac-related mortality) is made from the urine of pregnant mares. That's about as natural as it gets.

 

That said, I agree completely with the post by Elswyth. One aspirin taken during a time of chest pain is highly unlikely to cause any kind of adverse event (unless the patient is allergic), so not too many docs are going to advise anyone against that, given the proven benefits. It's pretty much a blanket recommendation. The same is NOT true for regular, daily use of aspirin (or anything else).

 

 

 

 

IMO... don't really need to "stop it in its tracks". Just need that 20-30 percent reduction in death rate.

We would have an innate knowledge and understanding of nature's remedies, if we hadn't lost our connection with our earth. It makes no sense that we would evolve/be created, without the necessary plants for our survival.

[Haydn]

Aspirin is available in any UK supermarket. Got some this morning from Tesco.

[Els]

We would have an innate knowledge and understanding of nature's remedies, if we hadn't lost our connection with our earth. It makes no sense that we would evolve/be created, without the necessary plants for our survival.

 

Uh... did you even read Hope's post before you quoted it?

[Els]

Aspirin is available in any UK supermarket. Got some this morning from Tesco.

 

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Our healthcare system is very similar to the UK, and we have aspirin available at the supermarkets too. To be honest I don't think that's a great idea, but it's a slippery slope. We definitely can't make all NSAIDs prescription-only, that would be too limiting.

[ASG]

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Our healthcare system is very similar to the UK, and we have aspirin available at the supermarkets too. To be honest I don't think that's a great idea, but it's a slippery slope. We definitely can't make all NSAIDs prescription-only, that would be too limiting.

 

Ibuprofen and aspirin are over the counter in the UK. Naproxen isn't (though it is in the US and I tend to buy a stash every time I go there). No idea about others.