8 important Q & A related to heart and aspirin

• Does aspirin and NSAIMs affect stomach directly?

The answer is not, it affects prostaglandins work which protect stomach mucosa.

• What is the prophylactic amount of aspirin for the heart?

 75-100 mg once a day that enough.

• Is there any need for aspirin in heart attack in evolution and afterward?

Yes, in acute case 325 mg aspirin chew and swallow as soon as possible and 75-100 mg aspirin for the rest of your life as secondary prevention unless you get serious side effects such as gastric bleeding and peptic ulcer.

• My heart is ok but I have Peripheral VD do I need aspirin?

Yes, it is effective because PAD is a manifestation of atherosclerosis too.

• How I protect my stomach from aspirin-induced bleeding?

You can use PPI omeprazole 20-40 mg od or you move to clopidogrel 75 mg od.

• I am on aspirin what shall I take for pain?

 You can add paracetamol up to 3000 mg a day, but if it is not enough and we need NSAIDs we prefer to be away from Celecoxib and give the lowest dose of ibuprofen or diclofenac and to take aspirin 2 hour before ibuprofen due to it may affect the antiplatelet function of aspirin.

• Does low-dose aspirin reduce the risk of colon cancer?

Yes, it may reduce the risk of colon cancer and possibly other malignancies. But at the time being it is needing more research to recommend aspirin for prophylaxis of cancer.

• What about aspirin and elective surgery?

For minor surgery no need to stop aspirin.

For moderate and large surgery if aspirin given for primary prevention(Free of heart disease) then you have to stop aspirin before 6 days, but if you take aspirin for secondary prevention( heart attack or angina) you have to stop aspirin 4 days and to take antithrombotic medicine such as clexane (enoxaparin) SC before the operation.

Know more about ischemic heart disease