3. Aspirin: Familiar but unsafe
* Commercial name: Aspirin
One of the medicine world’s greatest invention, aspirin’s power comes from Salicylic Acid – the main ingredient. Salicylic acid was discovered to not only lower a fever and reduce pain, but also as an effective blood-thinner that can prevent heart attacks and strokes. Recently, it was even discovered that it may prevent some types of cancer, but despite all these benefits, using aspirin is not risk-free.
Aspirin inhibits the COX-1 enzyme, which is in-charge of mucus production and the COX-2 enzyme that regulates body temperature, pain sensation and inflammation. In recent years, aspirin’s preventative properties were discovered to not only include blood-thinning, but also reduce blockage-causing inflammations in blood vessels that cause heart-attacks and strokes.
One of the major side-effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is their tendency to irritate the stomach and cause ulcers and bleeding, this is due to their inhibition of the enzyme in-charge of mucus production. This is the main reason why it’s highly recommended to take aspirin only on a full stomach. In rare cases, Aspirin may trigger Reye’s Syndrome in children and adolescents, and can lead to brain and liver damage. This is why it is forbidden to give aspirin to children under the age of 12.
Aspirin should not be combined with the following drugs:
* Anticoagulants – Aspirin may increase the efficacy of the drugs, causing internal bleeding.
* Antacids – Reduced acidity in the stomach may hinder coated aspirin tablets from breaking down and releasing into the blood.
* Corticosteroids – May increase stomach irritation and cause an ulcer.
* Gout medication – Aspirin reduces the concentration of the active ingredient (Allopurinol) in the blood, rendering it ineffective.
* Diuretics – Aspirin will reduce the concentration of diuretics in the users’ blood.
* Phenobarbital – Used to treat seizures, it will become less effective when combined with aspirin.
* Phenytoin – Also used for seizure treatment, can become toxic when combined with aspirin.
Avoiding side-effects:
Don’t be shy – The pharmacist’s job is to inform you of potential side-effects, as well as drugs or foods you need to avoid in conjecture with your drug. Tell the pharmacist about any other medication you are taking to prevent an adverse interaction between the drugs.
Be sure to read the information booklet – Even drugs you’ve been taking for a long time can become dangerous as you age and start taking other drugs as-well. The booklet will list known side-effects, interaction with other drugs, as well as counter-indications for certain users who might be allergic to the drug’s ingredients.
Adjust the intake to your weight – A drug must be adjusted to the patient’s weight to avoid overdosing. This is particularly important in children and babies.
Report all side-effects – If any side-effect occurs when taking the medicine, report it to your family physician immediately! You might need to change dosage or even change medicines.
Avoid prolonged exposure – Do not take a drug for more than 3 days straight without talking to your physician, and only take the recommended dosage in the recommended time-frame, according to your doctor’s orders and the information-booklet.
Be well!