All rounder - aspirin

Aspirin as treatment, not as a painkiller.
Who would have thought?

Asprin is not very common in Singapore. Our own local version is Panadol, which I only take when my cramps hit. But asprin.... aspirin I took when I had a really bad tooth ache, years back, and refused to see a dentist.

My wisdom tooth was trying to break out and, since I fear a dentist more than anything else, when the pains hit, I would munch an aspirin over the sore gum area so it would be dissolved directly into the problem area.

But now, idly surfing, I'm come across a pretty interesting article on how aspirin helps with cardiovascular disease.

Attest :

Many large scale randomized trials have shown that aspirin benefits virtually all people who already have cardiovascular disease, and that it benefits some people who have not yet developed signs or symptoms but are at sufficient risk for a first heart attack. However, the benefits of aspirin have to be weighed against its possible side effects. It is very important to discuss your cardiovascular health with your health care provider, and the possible benefits and side effects of aspirin use.

ACTIONS OF ASPIRIN
Aspirin has antiinflammatory effects (in high doses), pain killing effects (in medium doses), and inhibits the clumping of platelets (even in low doses). Platelets are tiny cell fragments circulating in the blood that have a role in blood clotting. Under normal ccircumstances, platelets clump together and help form blood clots that stop bleeding. Hwever, in cardiovascular disease, platelets clump together in narrowed arteries, which leads to the development of a clot within the artery; the platelet "plug" itself and/or the clot that forms can block blood flow.

This blockage can cause significant consequences. When the arteries that supply blood to the brain are blocked, the supply of oxygen to the brain is impaired. The consequences of this depend upon the duration and the extent to which blood flow is cut off. The result is a transient ischemic attack (TIA), when the blockage is brief, or an ischemic stroke, when the blockage is of a longer duration. When the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart are blocked briefly, the result is an episode of cchest pain, called angina. A blockage that is of longer duration can result in a heart attack (also called myocardial infarction).

Right - perhaps we don't need to know what a myocardial infarction is, but we could certainly do with the knowledge that a small, easily-available medication could save your life.


The article's a good read, but as with all things relating to your health, speak to your Doc first, 'k?