Aspirin - Benefits and Dangers

Aspirin is a member of a class of substances called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. The first form of aspirin existed all the way back in the 5th century B.C., when the father of medicine, Hippocrates, used willow bark and leaves to relieve pain and reduce fever. It wasn't until the 1820s, however, that scientists identified the active component in willow bark: Salicylic Acid. Salicylic acid derived from willow bark worked to fight aches and pains, but there was a major drawback: it upset the stomach. So, a few decades later, French chemist Charles Frederic Gerhardt found that combining salicylic acid with acetyl chloride made it less irritating. And so Aspirin came to be.

Today aspirin is a household word, and while some believe it should retain its reputation as a miracle drug, others think aspirin may not be as safe or worthwhile as it's touted to be.

Benefits of aspirin

• It's been suggested that a low-dose aspirin taken before travelling any distance longer than four hours can reduce the potential for Deep Vein Thrombosis.
• A daily low-dose aspirin therapy is commonly prescribed to adults to prevent heart attack and stroke and help improve blood flow to the heart
• Small daily doses of aspirin have proven to be effective in reducing the chances of mini-strokes (in which clogged blood vessels prevent sufficient oxygen from reaching the brain).
• Aspirin is also used to reduce the risk of heart attack in people with clogged coronary arteries, and in those who've already had an attack.
• Aspirin may reduce the risk of heart disease in individuals with diabetes.
• Evidence is rapidly growing that shows aspirin can slow the progression of colon cancer, and preliminary data suggests that regular aspirin use may prevent certain cancers from occurring at all.
• Population-based studies report that an aspirin a day will either slow the progression or even prevent dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. There is some evidence that aspirin may be effective in treating gall bladder disease
• An Australian study suggests that aspirin may guard against severe periodontal disease by protecting the fibres and ligaments around the teeth.

Dangers of Aspirin 

There are also a number of possible side effects and other problems you should be aware of if you take aspirin. Just consider these, for starters:

• For some users, aspirin can cause ringing in the ears, dizziness, vomiting, and hearing loss. Such symptoms usually disappear when aspirin use stops.
• The most common effect of overuse is stomach upset - from pain and nausea to bleeding ulcers and chronic indigestion.
• Regular aspirin use also damages the kidneys and can trigger sudden renal failure
• Bleeding in the brain and other internal bleeding
• It can cause Liver damage in chronic alcohol users
• Reye's Syndrome, which can occur when children take aspirin to reduce fever caused by a viral infection, is another concern
• Aspirin can cause asthma attacks in 3-5% of asthma sufferers, and as many as 20% of asthma sufferers may be intolerant to aspirin.
• Aspirin depletes the body of the life-saving nutrient folic acid (as well as iron, potassium, sodium, and vitamin C).

Who shouldn't take Aspirin?

Some people shouldn't take aspirin. These include people who:

• Have a stomach ulcer.
• Have recently had a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.
• Are allergic to aspirin.
• Have high blood pressure that isn't under control.
• Have asthma that is made worse by aspirin
• Gout can become worse or hard to treat for some people who take low-dose aspirin.
• Daily aspirin isn't advised for people who have a low risk of heart attack or stroke.
• Asthmatics
• Women in last trimester of pregnancy (can bring on labour & harm baby
• Breastfeeding mothers

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