An Aspirin A Day For Everyone Above 45
..so said the headlines in a British newspaper, the Telegraph here. The paper was commenting on a study published last week which showed that those who consume as little as a quarter of a tablet of the over-the-counter aspirin pill reduced their chances of getting cancer of the large bowel, stomach and lungs.
Evidence is building that the benefits of taking aspirin for many healthy middle aged and older people 'far outweighed' the side effects
So taken up by this finding, The New York Times, in an article today offered an explanantion of how aspirin prevents cancer : inflammation may play a role in cancer, and aspirin blocks the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are mediators of inflammation, and may affect early tumor promotion.
Good news like this unfortunately may not make everybody happy. The pharma companies, for one, will not relish this as aspirin is a very inexpensive drug to produce and, not being covered by a patent, will not bring in much profits ( it only costs a heart patient USD 4 for a year’s supply of aspirin, compared with USD 2000 to keep him on cholesterol medications).
In fact, 3 decades ago, the medical fraternity were singing praises about it –about how aspirin prevented heart attacks and strokes – to the extent that healthy doctors were taking it ‘just in case’ an illness were to strike them.There were calls then to even include aspirin in the community water supply so that people would benefit.
So how come this humble drug has not made that much a headway since it holds so much promise? The answer lies in the presence of a notorious and potentially dangerous side-effect: bleeding in the stomach and/or the brain. This can occur in susceptible individuals sometimes months after commencing it and it is often difficult for doctors to anticipate who will get them.
Bleeding points in the stomach wall (ulcers), due to aspirin.
My advice is, despite aspirin being an over-the-counter medication not requiring a doctor’s prescription, its continuous usage necessitates one consulting a doctor about the potential risks. Caveat emptor!
Related Articles
- Aspirin timeline (telegraph.co.uk)
An Aspirin A Day Keeps The Doctor Away..Or Does It?
This most inexpensive medication has been known for ages to be one of the most useful as well. In fact, 3 decades ago, the medical fraternity were singing praises about it – to the extent that healthy doctors were taking it ‘just in case’ an illness were to strike them.There were calls then to even include aspirin in the community water supply so that people would benefit. Read here to find out 50 Everyday Uses For Aspirin.
Popping an aspirin during an impending heart attack can be life-saving
What does aspirin do? Quite simply, it thins the blood enough to prevent clots from forming within the blood vessels and thereby preventing blockage. This way, various diseases caused by blockage of arteries could be prevented. This includes heart attacks, some strokes and deep vein thrombosis (aka economy class syndrome ).
Now, aspirin, a humble drug which has been used as a pain-killer for over a century, has come under severe cross-examination. Why? Largely because researchers have recently discovered that taking aspirin pills does not prevent heart or blood-vessel disease in otherwise normal people. Its still useful for those who have already got a stroke or heart attack, but if normal people were to take it, no benefits were found. In fact, there is the danger of some of them encountering one of its notorious side-effects – bleeding in the stomach – which may occur for the first time up to months after commencement.What makes it more ominous is that the bleeding can be silent (without any pain) and quite a bit of blood can be lost before symptoms of anemia set in.
Bleeding points in the stomach wall (ulcers), due to aspirin.
Despite this danger, aspirin remains a popular inexpensive medication today although its benefits have not been widely publicized. WHY? Because the ‘big pharmas’ do not find it cost-effective to market such an inexpensive medication despite its proven benefits. To prevent heart attacks, the estimated cost of a prescription of aspirin per year for one person is less than USD 4. Compare this with the cost of using cholesterol-lowering medications per year – USD2,000 – and you can see where the money is!
Share this Post
An Aspirin A Day Used To Keep The Doctor Away
ASPIRIN - used as a pain-killer for a century, it became renowned as a prevention for heart disease since the 70s
Times have indeed changed…3 decades ago, the medical fraternity were singing praises about the wonder pill that would be the panacea for preventing heart attacks and strokes. So much so, health authorities were seriously considering adding it to the community’s drinking water supply so that everyone could benefit. Doctors, otherwise hale and hearty, were taking them ‘ just in case’. What was it supposed to do? It thins the blood enough to prevent clots from forming within the blood vessels and thereby preventing blockage.
Now, aspirin, a humble drug which has been used as a pain-killer for over a century, has come under severe cross-examination. Why? Largely because researchers have recently discovered that taking aspirin pills does not prevent heart or blood-vessel disease in otherwise normal people.
In fact, healthy people who take aspirin to prevent heart attacks could be doing more harm than good. Aspirin is notorious for causing bleeding in the stomach, sometimes several months after commencing it. And the bleeding can be silent, without much stomach pain with the symptoms being confined to ‘blackish’ stools.
A caveat though…for those already suffering from heart disease or stroke, the role of aspirin is still undisputed and its benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. For those who are otherwise healthy but have several risk factors (like smoking, parents with heart disease), the decision is not that clear-cut though. You need to discuss this with your own doctor.
One thing for certain, if someone has symptoms suggestive of an impending heart attack, chewing an aspirin pill immediately can be a life-saver even before one reaches the emergency room..
Share this Post
Doctor2008's Weblog 