Is Aspirin good for you?!

Is Aspirin good for you?

I've heard that you live longer if you use it. I thought that all medicine are bad.

My daughter has Lupus and takes prescribed aspirin every day to thin her blood
Aspirin has been proven to prevent a first and second heart attack in people who have coronary artery disease.

1 When taken during and after a heart attack, aspirin can reduce your chances of dying.
2 It also reduces the risk of having a stroke in those who have had a previous stroke or a transient ischemic attack (a temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain), which is often a warning sign of an impending stroke.


Some experts recommend an aspirin a day to prevent heart problems for:

Men older than 40 years.
Postmenopausal women, which begins 1 year after the last menstrual period.
Men younger than 40 or premenopausal women who have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or a history of smoking.
Also, if you have had a clot-related stroke or transient ischemic attack, your health professional will probably recommend that you take an aspirin daily. Aspirin protects you from having a clot-related stroke in the same way it protects you from having a heart attack.

Aspirin slows the blood's clotting action by reducing the clumping of platelets. Platelets are cells that clump together and help to form blood clots. Aspirin keeps platelets from clumping together, thus helping to prevent or reduce blood clots.

During a heart attack, blood clots form in an already-narrowed artery and block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle (or to part of the brain, in the case of stroke). When taken during a heart attack, aspirin slows clotting and decreases the size of the forming blood clot. Taken daily, aspirin's anti-clotting action helps prevent a first or second heart attack.

Aspirin should not be taken if you think you are having a stroke, because not all strokes are caused by clots. Aspirin could make some strokes worse.

Daily aspirin is not right for everyone. Don't start taking aspirin regularly without talking to your health professional first. Aspirin's anti-clotting action can cause unwanted side effects such as stomach bleeding and bleeding in the brain. People who have stomach ulcers, a history of gastrointestinal bleeding, blood-clotting disorders, uncontrolled high blood pressure, and liver or kidney disease may need to avoid aspirin.

Aspirin should not be taken by people who are at risk for or who have had a hemorrhagic stroke, which is a type of stroke that is not caused by a blood clot but rather by bleeding into and around the brain.

Aspirin can trigger asthma attacks in some people who have a sensitivity to it.

Also, don't take aspirin without first talking to your health professional if you're already taking prescribed blood thinners, such as Coumadin. The combined effect could cause bleeding problems.

Drinking 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while taking daily aspirin increases your risk for liver damage and stomach bleeding. If your health professional recommends aspirin, limit or stop alcohol usage.

Aspirin should not be taken with many prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbal remedies, and supplements. Talk to your health professional about all the drugs and other remedies you take before starting aspirin therapy.

Because aspirin reduces your blood's ability to clot, your health professional may want you to stop taking aspirin at least 5 days before any surgery or dental procedure that may cause bleeding. Don't suddenly stop taking aspirin without talking to your health professional first.

Early studies suggest that aspirin may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, more research is needed before doctors begin recommending aspirin to prevent Alzheimer's disease.