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Aspirin - Good News and Bad

By Henry J. Fishman, M.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com

September 30, 2005

Aspirin • Aspirin May Prevent Osteoporosis • Daily Aspirin May Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer • High Heart Attack, Stroke Risk in Aspirin-Resistant Patients • Aspirin May Reduce Parkinson’s Risk • Coated Aspirin Has Same Effect on Stomach as Plain Aspirin • Use Of Aspirin To Prevent Heart Attacks On The Decline • Low-Dose Aspirin May Reduce Asthma Risk • Study Finds Aspirin Still Tops in Heart Attack & Stroke Prevention • Aspirin Can Help Prevent Recurring Strokes • Pros and Cons Dog Long-term Aspirin Use • Aspirin: Good News & Bad • Aspirin Better than Coumadin? • Can Aspirin Prevent Skin Cancer? • Aspirin May Help Colon Cancer Patients • Bayer Gets FTC Headache

There's good news and bad news about aspirin.

First the good. Aspirin blocks chemicals called prostaglandins so it relieves pain and reduces swelling and inflammation.

Aspirin can help your sprained ankle or prevent stokes and heart attacks if you have risk factors like high blood pressure. If you have had a heart attack or stroke, aspirin can help some folks prevent a second one.

Aspiring helps treat fevers and a pediatric disease called Kawasaki’s Disease.

The bad news: Aspirin can cause side affects like nausea, internal bleeding or liver or kidney trouble. Aspirin can cause ear ringing. It can combine with viruses and cause a deadly problem call Reyes Syndrome that can hurt your liver.

The ugly: Aspirin allergy can cause hives, asthma, and a systemic allergic reaction called anaphylaxis which can lead to breathing trouble or even anaphylactic shock and death.

Aspirin-sensitive people can develop the aspirin triad, which are nasal polyps, sinus problems, hives and asthma.

Conclusions: Before you take aspirin regularly talk to your doctor.

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