“Too many people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks,
stroke, study says”
By: Karen Kaplan
Source: LA Times
Aspirin is one of the most popular drugs that people take
who have never had a heart attack or stroke and would like to keep it that way.
One in ten people aspirin can do more harm than be helpful to their bodies. Cardiologists
around the U.S were treating 698,808 patients. 7,972 of them were taking
aspirin despite having a low risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the
next ten years. 11.6% of patients were taking aspirin inappropriately according
to the study. Aspirin, which is also known as acetylsalicylic acid, averts
heart attacks and strokes by preventing the formation of blood clots. Clots are
made up of blood cells called platelets, which stick together with the help of
an enzyme known as cyclooxygenase, or COX. Aspirin prevents COX from doing its
job. Aspirin can still be dangerous in other ways. When blood cannot clot
easily, people run the risk of excessive bleeding. In the brain, that can lead
to a hemorrhagic stroke. Other kinds of internal bleeding can happen as well. That
is why experts recommend aspirin therapy only for people with a significant
risk of a lot related problem. It is not clear whether all of the people taking
aspirin inappropriately were doing so at the direction of their cardiologist.
Aspirin does not require a prescription, and some patients may be buying it on
their own record.
This is an
important article to read because we see how dangerous aspirin can be just by
consuming it if not prescribed. People now need to be careful if they are even
allowed to consume aspirin. People now that do take aspirin need to be extra
careful while consuming.
No comments:
Post a Comment