CLASSIFICATION, USES, DOSAGES, COMMON SIDE EFFECTS, INTERACTION, GENERIC AND BRAND NAME
ASPIRIN (Acetylsalicylic acid)
CLASSIFICATION: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug
USES:
It is used for treating pain, fever and inflammation. Kawasaki disease, pericarditis, rheumatic fever are specific inflammatory condition where Aspirin is used. Aspirin will be given shortly after a heart attack to decrease the risk of death. It’s also used long term to aid in preventing further heart attacks, ischaemic strokes, and blood clots for patients who are at high risks.
DOSAGES:
Aspirin should be taken with food. Doses range from 50 mg to 6000 mg daily depending on the use.
- Usual doses for mild to moderate pain are 350 or 650 mg every 4 hours or 500 mg every 6 hours.
- Doses for rheumatoid arthritis include 500 mg every 4-6 hours; 650 mg every 4 hours; 1000 mg every 4-6 hours; 1950 mg twice daily.
- Heart attacks are prevented with 75, 81, 162 or 325 mg daily.
- 160 to 325 mg of non-enteric coated aspirin should be chewed immediately when experiencing symptoms of a heart attack.
- The dose for preventing another stroke is 75 to 100 mg daily.
NOTE: Dosages can be given or taken as per physician’s instructions and guidance that depends upon the patient’s health condition
COMMON SIDE EFFECTS
Mild side effects are
- Excess stomach acid secretion
- Heartburn
- Irritation of stomach or cramps in stomach
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Belching
- Dizziness
- Hyperventilation
- Shaking
- Trouble sleeping
- Drowsiness, dullness
Serious Side effects (rarely occurs) are
- Decreased platelet clotting
- Anaphylaxis
- Angioedema
- Hemolytic Anemia
- Interstitial Nephritis
- Anemia
- Bleeding in stomach, skull
- Branchospasm
- Liver damage
- Hives
- Seizures
- Wheezing
- Ulcer
- Ringing in the ears
- Erythema
INTERACTIONS:
Drugs that may interact with aspirin include:
- Anti-inflammatory painkillers, such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and naproxen. These can increase the risk of stomach bleeding if taken in combination with aspirin.
- Methotrexate, used in the treatment of cancer and some autoimmune diseases. Aspirin can make it harder for the body to eliminate methotrexate, resulting in high and potentially dangerous levels of methotrexate in the body.
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressants, such as citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, venlafaxine, and sertraline. Taken with aspirin, these can increase the risk of bleeding.
- Warfarin, an anticoagulant drug, or a blood thinner, which stops the blood from clotting. If aspirin is taken with warfarin, it can reduce the drug’s anticoagulant effects and increase the risk of bleeding. In some situations, however, a doctor may prescribe aspirin together with warfarin.
GENERIC NAME: aspirin
BRAND NAMES:
Arthritis Pain, Aspi-Cor, Aspir 81, Aspir-Low, Bayer Plus, Bufferin, Durlaza, Ecotrin, Ecpirin, Fasprin, Halfprin, Miniprin.
