how aspirin works
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Acuprin 81, Bayer Aspirin, Bufferin, Easprin, Ecotrin, Empirin, Halfprin, NorwichAspirin, St how aspirin works. Joseph Aspirin, Zorprin
What is the most important information I should know about aspirin?
• Take aspirin with milk, food, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset how aspirin works. Enteric-coated aspirin is specially formulated to be gentle on your stomach how aspirin works. Enteric-coated aspirin can be, but does not have to be, taken with milk or food how aspirin works. Enteric-coated aspirin should not be taken with an antacid how aspirin works.
• Do not break, chew, or crush the enteric-coated tablets how aspirin works. These have aspecial coating to protect your stomach how aspirin works. Swallow them whole how aspirin works.
• Avoid alcohol or use it in moderation while taking aspirin how aspirin works. If you drinkmore than three alcoholic beverages a day, the risk of stomach bleeding mayincrease how aspirin works.
What is aspirin?
• Aspirin is in a class of drugs called salicylates how aspirin works. It works by reducingsubstances in the body that cause pain and inflammation how aspirin works.
• Aspirin is used to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever how aspirin works. Aspirin is alsoused under medical supervision to treat and/or prevent heart attacks, transientischemic attacks (TIAs or "mini-strokes"), strokes, and angina incertain individuals how aspirin works.
• Aspirin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide how aspirin works.
Who should not take aspirin?
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you
· have an allergy to aspirin;
· have an allergy to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) suchas ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Anaprox, others),indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis KT, Orudis, Oruvail), nabumetone(Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), and others;
· have an allergy to tartrazine;
· drink more than three alcoholic beverages a day;
· have an ulcer or bleeding in your stomach;
· have liver disease;
· have kidney disease;
· have a coagulation (bleeding) disorder (e.g., hemophilia);
· have congestive heart failure;
· have fluid retention;
· have heart disease;
· have high blood pressure;
· have gout;
· have asthma; or
· have nasal polyps how aspirin works.
• You may not be able to take aspirin, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove how aspirin works.
• The FDA has not formally evaluated the effects of aspirin taken duringpregnancy how aspirin works. However, it is known that aspirin taken during pregnancy may affectan unborn baby's heart, reduce birth weight, and have other dangerous effectson the unborn baby how aspirin works. Do not take aspirin without first talking to your doctorif you are pregnant how aspirin works.
• Aspirin passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant how aspirin works. Do nottake this medicine without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby how aspirin works.
• Do not use aspirin to treat a child or teenager who has a fever, flusymptoms, or chicken pox without first talking to the child's doctor how aspirin works. In childrenyounger than 18 years of age, aspirin may increase the risk of Reye's syndrome,a rare but often fatal condition how aspirin works.
How should I take aspirin?
• Take aspirin exactly as directed by your doctor, or follow the instructionsthat accompany the package if you are using an over-the-counter medicine how aspirin works. Ifyou do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctorto explain them to you how aspirin works.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water how aspirin works. This may reduce the risk ofthe medication becoming lodged in your esophagus or throat how aspirin works. Remaining uprightfor 15 to 30 minutes following a dose may further reduce this risk how aspirin works.
• Take aspirin with milk, food, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset how aspirin works. Enteric-coated aspirin is specially formulated to be gentle on your stomach how aspirin works. Enteric-coated aspirin can be, but does not have to be, taken with milk or food how aspirin works. Enteric-coated aspirin should not be taken with an antacid how aspirin works.
• Do not crush, chew, or break any enteric-coated forms of aspirin how aspirin works. Thesehave a special coating to protect your stomach how aspirin works. Swallow them whole how aspirin works.
• Do not take aspirin more often than is prescribed by your doctor or recommendedon the package how aspirin works. If your condition does not improve within 3 to 4 days, talkto your doctor how aspirin works.
• Be aware of the aspirin content of other prescription or over-the-countermedications to avoid taking too much aspirin how aspirin works.
• Do not take any aspirin that smells strongly of vinegar how aspirin works. This smell meansthat the aspirin has begun to break down how aspirin works.
• Store aspirin at room temperature away from moisture and heat how aspirin works.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• If you are taking aspirin regularly--for example, to treat arthritis--takethe missed dose up to 2 hours late how aspirin works. If more than 2 hours have passed since themissed dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularly scheduleddose how aspirin works. Do not take a double dose how aspirin works.
• If you are taking aspirin on an as-needed basis, missing a dose is notusually a problem how aspirin works. Take your aspirin as soon as you remember, and do not takeanother dose for the amount of time prescribed by your doctor or recommendedon the package how aspirin works.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention how aspirin works.
• Symptoms of an aspirin overdose include ringing in the ears, headache,nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, coma, seizures, rapidbreathing, and fever how aspirin works.
What should I avoid while taking aspirin?
• Avoid taking other over-the-counter or prescription medications containingaspirin; salicylates (forms of aspirin) such as magnesium and/or choline salicylate(Magan, Doan's, Bayer Select Backache Pain Formula, Mobidin, Arthropan, Trilisate,Tricosal) and salsalate (Disalcid); and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil,Nuprin, others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Anaprox, others), indomethacin (Indocin),ketoprofen (Orudis KT, Orudis, Oruvail), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro),and others how aspirin works. Combined with aspirin, these medicines can be dangerous how aspirin works.
• Avoid alcohol or use it with moderation while taking aspirin how aspirin works. If youdrink more than three alcoholic beverages a day, aspirin may increase the riskof stomach bleeding how aspirin works.
• Tell your doctor and dentist that you are taking aspirin, especiallyif you need to undergo a surgical procedure how aspirin works. Aspirin may prolong bleeding how aspirin works.
What are the possible side effects of aspirin?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingaspirin and seek medical attention or call your doctor immediately:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· black, bloody, or tarry stools;
· nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain;
· uncontrolled fever;
· blood in your urine or vomit;
· decreased hearing or ringing in the ears;
· seizures; or
· dizziness, confusion, or hallucinations how aspirin works.
• If you experience any of the following less serious side effects, notifyyour doctor:
· heartburn or indigestion,
· faint ringing in the ears,
· drowsiness, or
· headache how aspirin works.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur how aspirin works. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome how aspirin works.
What other drugs will affect aspirin?
• Do not take aspirin without first talking to your doctor if you are takingany of the following medicines:
· an anticoagulant such as warfarin (Coumadin), heparin, enoxaparin (Lovenox),dalteparin (Fragmin), danaparoid (Orgaran), ardeparin (Normiflo), or tinzaparin(Innohep);
· a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen (Motrin,Advil, Nuprin, others), ketoprofen (Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail), naproxen (Naprosyn,Anaprox, Aleve), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin(Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), etodolac (Lodine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), flurbiprofen(Ansaid), indomethacin (Indocin), ketorolac (Toradol), sulindac (Clinoril),or tolmetin (Tolectin); or
· another salicylate such as aspirin (Acuprin, Ecotrin, Ascriptin, Bayer,others); choline salicylate and/or magnesium salicylate (Magan, Doan's, BayerSelect Backache Pain Formula, Mobidin, Arthropan, Trilisate, Tricosal), or salsalate(Disalcid) how aspirin works.
• You may not be able to take aspirin, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring if you are taking any of the medicines listed above how aspirin works.
• If you have diabetes, moderate to large doses of aspirin may producefalse urine glucose test results how aspirin works.
• Many drugs, including those not listed here, can interact with aspirin,resulting in side effects and/or decreased effectiveness of the medications how aspirin works. Do not take any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines or herbal productswithout first talking to your doctor during treatment with aspirin how aspirin works.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about aspirin written forhealth professionals that you may read how aspirin works.
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