prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding

What is the most important information I should know about aspirin?
• Take aspirin with milk, food, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Enteric-coated aspirin is specially formulated to be gentle on your stomach prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Enteric-coated aspirin can be, but does not have to be, taken with milk or food prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Enteric-coated aspirin should not be taken with an antacid prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Do not break, chew, or crush the enteric-coated tablets prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. These have aspecial coating to protect your stomach prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Swallow them whole prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Avoid alcohol or use it in moderation while taking aspirin prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. If you drinkmore than three alcoholic beverages a day, the risk of stomach bleeding mayincrease prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

What is aspirin?
• Aspirin is in a class of drugs called salicylates prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. It works by reducingsubstances in the body that cause pain and inflammation prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Aspirin is used to reduce pain, inflammation, and fever prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Aspirin is alsoused under medical supervision to treat and/or prevent heart attacks, transientischemic attacks (TIAs or "mini-strokes"), strokes, and angina incertain individuals prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Aspirin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• 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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• The FDA has not formally evaluated the effects of aspirin taken duringpregnancy prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. 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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Do not take aspirin without first talking to your doctorif you are pregnant prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Aspirin passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Do nottake this medicine without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• 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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. In childrenyounger than 18 years of age, aspirin may increase the risk of Reye's syndrome,a rare but often fatal condition prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Ifyou do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctorto explain them to you prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. This may reduce the risk ofthe medication becoming lodged in your esophagus or throat prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Remaining uprightfor 15 to 30 minutes following a dose may further reduce this risk prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Take aspirin with milk, food, or an antacid to lessen stomach upset prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Enteric-coated aspirin is specially formulated to be gentle on your stomach prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Enteric-coated aspirin can be, but does not have to be, taken with milk or food prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Enteric-coated aspirin should not be taken with an antacid prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Do not crush, chew, or break any enteric-coated forms of aspirin prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Thesehave a special coating to protect your stomach prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Swallow them whole prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Do not take aspirin more often than is prescribed by your doctor or recommendedon the package prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. If your condition does not improve within 3 to 4 days, talkto your doctor prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Be aware of the aspirin content of other prescription or over-the-countermedications to avoid taking too much aspirin prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Do not take any aspirin that smells strongly of vinegar prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. This smell meansthat the aspirin has begun to break down prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Store aspirin at room temperature away from moisture and heat prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. If more than 2 hours have passed since themissed dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularly scheduleddose prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Do not take a double dose prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• If you are taking aspirin on an as-needed basis, missing a dose is notusually a problem prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. 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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Symptoms of an aspirin overdose include ringing in the ears, headache,nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, coma, seizures, rapidbreathing, and fever prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Combined with aspirin, these medicines can be dangerous prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Avoid alcohol or use it with moderation while taking aspirin prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. If youdrink more than three alcoholic beverages a day, aspirin may increase the riskof stomach bleeding prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Tell your doctor and dentist that you are taking aspirin, especiallyif you need to undergo a surgical procedure prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Aspirin may prolong bleeding prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• If you experience any of the following less serious side effects, notifyyour doctor:
· heartburn or indigestion,
· faint ringing in the ears,
· drowsiness, or
· headache prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

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) prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• 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 prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• If you have diabetes, moderate to large doses of aspirin may producefalse urine glucose test results prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.
• Many drugs, including those not listed here, can interact with aspirin,resulting in side effects and/or decreased effectiveness of the medications prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding. Do not take any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines or herbal productswithout first talking to your doctor during treatment with aspirin prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about aspirin written forhealth professionals that you may read prophylactic aspirin and risk of bleeding.

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