Taking aspirin may protect against recurrent ischemic heart attacks and strokes, but improper use can lead to serious consequences, including hemorrhagic stroke. Therefore, it is important to consider contraindications, including active stomach ulcers and bleeding. Cardiologist Vadim Zakiev, teacher of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine of the Russian State University of Social Sciences, told socialbites.ca.
“Cardiologists and therapists often prescribe aspirin to patients to prevent cardiovascular disease. This and other antiplatelet agents (a group of drugs that prevent blood clots) are contraindicated for active ulcerative lesions and bleeding. Sometimes aspirin is also contraindicated for bruising and nosebleeds, but in this case it is important to evaluate their significance. For example, although nosebleeds are annoying, in most cases it is not recommended to stop aspirin, considering its benefits and risks, and the problem of nosebleeds can be solved by cauterization, so in such cases we often consult an ENT doctor,” he said. Zakiev noted.
Indications for taking aspirin are myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, coronary heart disease, severe atherosclerosis and a number of other diseases. But Zakiev believes that only a doctor can prescribe aspirin and should be able to explain to the patient how he weighed the benefits and risks.
“If aspirin is prescribed with the words “let it be”, “just in case”, “take it”, this may be a sign of a bad doctor who is not aware of why he is prescribing the medicine. But this applies to every drug, not just aspirin,” explained the cardiologist.
Although many people use aspirin for years, it can sometimes cause side effects such as heartburn, stomach pain, stomach ulcers, and bleeding in the brain or hemorrhoids.
“There was a patient in my practice who had a hemorrhagic stroke, that is, a brain hemorrhage, and suffered from an unreasonable aspirin prescription. And it didn’t take long. In most cases, if a patient is taking aspirin without the indications discussed above, it is much more appropriate to prescribe a statin rather than aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Statins lower LDL levels, also known as “bad cholesterol,” and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. However, it has rare side effects, much less frequent than aspirin. But only a doctor can prescribe both statins and aspirin,” the cardiologist concluded.
Formerly cardiologist Zakiev saidHe said that a heart attack can be confused with a stomach disease due to similar symptoms.