New Study on Aspirin

[rossi]

What is your opinion re: the Northwestern Memorial Hospital's study that said that baby or coated aspirins are not effective in preventing clotting? They also found that 25% of their sample that took uncoated aspirin experienced no antiplatelet effect. This is a scary finding for me thinking that I was safe by taking aspirin in regards to potential clotting. Have you changed any instructions to your patients as a result of this study? Is there anything we should be doing beyond aspirin?

[Neener44]

Hi Jan,
I don't know if you'll see this, but I just read your post on this thread and thought, wow, we have something in common. I am also 46 and have IST and NCS. Do you have to take any medication to treat your condition? I take sotalol, but the side effects bug me. I have tried other beta blockers, but none worked to control my heart rate and so my cardiologist says to continue with the sotalol. My heart is enlarged from all the years of rapid heart rate and high blood pressure. You can e-mail me at ***@****.

[it's_my_mom]

My mom recently had her pacemaker replaced and her doctor prescribed a baby aspirin a day in addition to her regular dose of Coumidin.  She had to be readmitted a week later and was given 4 units of blood.  Apparently she had been bleeding internally due to the baby aspirin.

[jan]

This is interesting.  

While in the hospital last week part of the routine was aspirin ea night.  (Went to ER with excruciating shoulder/arm pain and just so happened my ekg decided to be abnormal. You know what happens then).

Talking to my cardio just before dischg he said he wanted me to continue with the aspirin.  I don't have heart disease just IST and NCS, trace regurg of mitral and tricuspid valves.  He said because of my age (46) and because I have Factor 5 Leiden he was concerned (the FVL hasn't really given me any probs).  I asked if a baby aspirin would be ok, because I often bruise when taking aspirin a few days, he said it was.  I do hope the baby aspirin is ok.

[CCF-M.D.-KE]

Dear Rossi,

The study you mentioned has not resulted in a change in clinical practice. There is evidence showing that a significant portion of people taking aspirin are actually resistant to the antiplatelet effects of aspirin. However, there are numerous large studies showing the overall beneficial effects of aspirin in various circumstances. At this time there is no data on how to treat patients with aspirin resistance. Thus, before any definitive conclusions can be drawn more research will need to be performed. This is why the study you mentioned has not changed clinical practice. Hope this answers your question.


Thanks for your question,

CCF-MD-KE

[Nic1]

Recent studies have suggested that moderate amounts of alcohol function similarly to aspirin in thinning the blood. It was thought that something in the skins of grapes was what accounted for the "French Paradox": the fact that the French eat a lot of cheese yet don't have as much heart disease as some other cultures. But, as I said, the latest research suggests that any type of alcohol thins the blood, thus having the antiplatelet effect. However, apparently one should avoid taking aspirin at the same time as the alcohol, since the combination can contribute to stomach bleeding. So you should take your aspirin at a different time of day.