H E A LT H
CAN USING ASPIRIN REGULARLY KEEP YOUR HEART HEALTHY? It seems every day a new study contradicts the last – and all the while, your heart could be at risk. Mediclinic experts get to the bottom of this debate.
T
he idea that aspirin can
while one that blocks blood from
help prevent a heart attack
travelling to the brain can cause
if taken regularly has
a stroke.
been in the news for years, with competing headlines alternating
HOW ASPIRIN WORKS
between singing the praises of this
How can aspirin help? Well,
tactic or warning against it.
aspirin is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) often
BLOOD CLOTTING
used to treat pain and fever. It
Every hour in South Africa, five
restricts your body’s inflammatory
people have heart attacks – while
response by blocking an enzyme,
another 10 will have strokes,
cyclooxygenase, and can interfere
according to research from the
with the chemicals that stimulate
Heart and Stroke Foundation of SA.
the body’s natural blood-clotting
Can an aspirin a day help reduce
response, says Melody Dreyer, a
your risk? Before we dive into the
ward pharmacist at Mediclinic
merits of daily aspirin therapy as
Bloemfontein.
a heart-health strategy, let’s take a
“Usually, aspirin can be used to
Do you feel you may benefit from daily aspirin therapy? Speak to your doctor about whether these risks outweigh the benefits in your specific case. Your doctor will need to conduct a thorough examination of your medical history in order to advise you on the best or most appropriate course of action
“Aspirin in pharmacological doses can reduce the incidence of cardiac arrest in those with a high risk of heart attack,” says Dr Ighsaan Carr, a Mediclinic Cape Town and Constantiaberg physician. “Daily intake of low-dose aspirin can help prevent strokes.” However, research also shows daily aspirin therapy is not for everyone. “People who are at risk of developing deep vein thrombosis, for example, should avoid aspirin and other NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, as these anticlotting drugs can increase the risk of bleeding,” says Dr Kris
closer look at how your body works.
limit inflammation, reduce fever
Michalowski, a vascular surgeon at
Whenever you bleed, clotting cells
and to relieve mild to moderate
Mediclinic Milnerton.
called platelets build up around the
pain, such as headaches, sprains
area to seal the wound – this helps
and strains, toothaches and
in the last trimester of pregnancy,
prevent your blood vessel from
menstrual pain,” she says. “And in
in people over 65 years old who are
bleeding further.
low doses, it may be prescribed to
already on another blood-thinning
thin the blood.”
agent, and in children under 16,”
But if your blood vessels are narrowed due to a build-up of fatty
“Aspirin should also be avoided
warns Dreyer.
can lead to bleeding inside the
WHO SHOULD TAKE ASPIRIN DAILY?
may prescribe an aspirin a day if
vessels themselves. In that case,
Aspirin is not a one-size-fits-all
you need it, depending on certain
platelets will rush to the site to
approach to improved heart health.
factors in your health history. •
deposits, such as cholesterol, this
form a clot to stop the bleeding, inflaming the area and blocking the artery in the process. That interrupts normal blood flow. A clot that cuts off blood flow to the heart can cause a heart attack, 46
SILVER DIGEST // SPRING 2019
On the one hand, its effects are proven in many cases.
The bottom line: your doctor
First published on www.mediclinicinfohub.co.za
