Printer Friendly
The Free Library
14,757,228 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

Aspirin is 'no help' for a healthy heart.


DOCTORS should stop prescribing aspirin aspirin, acetyl derivative of salicylic acid (see salicylate) that is used to lower fever, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and thin the blood. Common conditions treated with aspirin include headache, muscle and joint pain, and the inflammation caused by rheumatic  to ward off heart attacks in people without heart disease, a leading doctor has said.

Giving aspirin to these patients can do more harm than good, raising the risk of stomach bleeding while having a 'negligible' effect on curbing death rates, he warned.

Thousands of people with high blood pressure and diabetes are prescribed pre·scribe  
v. pre·scribed, pre·scrib·ing, pre·scribes

v.tr.
1. To set down as a rule or guide; enjoin. See Synonyms at dictate.

2. To order the use of (a medicine or other treatment).
 low-dose aspirin low-dose aspirin Vascular disease A minimal dose of aspirin administered daily to a person known to be at risk for coronary artery occlusion  in line with medical guidelines A medical guideline (also called a clinical guideline, clinical protocol or clinical practice guideline) is a document with the aim of guiding decisions and criteria in specific areas of healthcare, as defined by an authoritative examination of current evidence  because they are at high risk of heart attack.

But growing evidence in recent months has increased the view that giving aspirin for primary prevention - where patients do not have symptoms of heart disease - is counter-productive.

Dr Ike Iheanacho, editor of the respected Drug And Therapeutics therapeutics

Treatment and care to combat disease or alleviate pain or injury. Its tools include drugs, surgery, radiation therapy, mechanical devices, diet, and psychiatry.
 Bulletin, says the practice should be 'abandoned'. He said: 'Evidence makes it hard to recommend starting aspirin for primary prevention.' A British study released in September found that aspirin can double the chances of internal bleeding in people without a history of heart disease, while having no effect on the rate of strokes.

Heart disease and strokes account for 40 per cent of deaths in Ireland every year.
COPYRIGHT 2009 Solo Syndication Limited
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2009 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Publication:The Daily Mail (London, England)
Date:Nov 3, 2009
Words:180
Previous Article:Euro Tourist rates.(Business)
Next Article:Trinity team find the key to unlock leukaemia.(News)
Topics:



Related Articles
Taking aspirin to lower your risk of heart attack. (What You Need To Know).(Pamphlet)
Daily aspirin dose cuts risk of stroke in the middle-aged.
Why a daily aspirin may not protect you from heart attacks; No benefit: Taking aspirin.
DOUBTS OVER AN ASPIRIN FOR YOUR HEART.
Scientists warn against routinely using aspirin to prevent heart attacks, strokes.
Taking a daily aspirin 'could do more harm than good'.(News)
Why daily aspirin could be a danger; Stop giving it as routine protector, doctors told.(News)
Aspirin 'only for people with heart problems'.
Healthy people 'should not take daily aspirin'.
Healthy people 'should not take daily aspirin'.

Terms of use | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles