For Aspirin Reducing Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke: Know The Facts

FACT: Once your doctor decides that daily
use of aspirin is for you, safe use depends

on following your doctor’s directions
There are no directions on the label for using aspirin to
Aspirin You can walk into any pharmacy, grocery or
convenience store and buy aspirin without a
prescription. The Drug Facts label on medication
for Reducing Your

reduce the risk of heart attack or clot-related stroke. You
products, will help you choose aspirin for relieving
must rely on your health professional to provide the
headache, pain, swelling, or fever. The Drug Facts
correct information on dose and directions for use. Using
label also gives directions that will help you use the
aspirin correctly gives you the best chance of getting the
Risk of Heart Attack

aspirin so that it is safe and effective.
greatest benefits with the fewest unwanted side effects.
Discuss with your health professional the different forms
But what about using aspirin for a different use, time
of aspirin products that might be best suited for you.
and Stroke:
period, or in a manner that is not listed on the label?
For example, using aspirin to lower the risk of heart
Aspirin has been shown to lower the risk of heart attack
attack and clot-related strokes. In these cases, the
and stroke in patients who have cardiovascular disease or
labeling information is not there to help you with how
who have already had a heart attack or stroke, but not all
to choose and how to use the medicine safely. Since
over-the-counter pain and fever reducers do that. Even
you don't have the labeling directions to help you,
though the directions on the aspirin label do not apply to
you need the medical knowledge of your doctor,
this use of aspirin, you still need to read the label to
nurse practitioner or other health professional.
confirm that the product you buy and use contains aspirin
KNOW THE
at the correct dose. Check the Drug Facts label for“active
You can increase the chance of getting the good
ingredients: aspirin” or “acetylsalicylic acid”at the dose
effects and decrease the chance of getting the bad
that your health professional has prescribed.
effects of any medicine by choosing and using it
FACTS
wisely. When it comes to using aspirin to lower the
Remember, if you are using aspirin everyday for weeks,
risk of heart attack and stroke, choosing and using
months or years to prevent a heart attack, stroke, or for
wisely means:
any use not listed on the label - without guidance from
your health professional - you could be doing your body
more harm than good.
Know the facts
Go to www.fda.gov or call toll-free 1-888-INFO-FDA and
Work with your health professional
I
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Food and Drug Administration
FACT: Daily use of aspirin is not FACT: Daily aspirin can be safest FACT: Aspirin is a drug
right foreveryone. when prescribed by a medical
If you are at risk for heart attack or stroke your
health professional doctor may prescribe aspirin to increase blood flow
Aspirin has been shown to be helpful when to the heart and brain. But any drug--including
used daily to lower the risk of heart attack, Before deciding if daily aspirin use is right for aspirin--can have harmful side effects,especially
clot-related strokes and other blood flow problems you, your health professional will need to when mixed with other products. In fact, the chance
in patients who have cardiovascular disease or who consider: of side effects increases with each new product you
have already had a heart attack or stroke. Many use.
medical professionals prescribe aspirin for these • Your medical history and the history of your
uses. There may be a benefit in daily aspirin use for family members New products includes prescription and other
you if you have some kind of heart or blood vessel • Your use of other medicines, including over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements,
disease, or if you have evidence of poor blood flow prescription and over-the-counter (including vitamins and herbals), and sometimes
to the brain. However,the risks of long-term aspirin • Your use of other products, such as dietary foods and beverages. For instance, people who
use may be greater than the benefits if there are no supplements, including vitamins and herbals already use a prescribed medication to thin the blood
signs of, or risk factors for heart or blood vessel • Your allergies or sensitivities, and anything that should not use aspirin unless recommended by a
disease. affects your ability to use the medicine health professional. There are also dietary
• What you have to gain, or the benefits, from the supplements known to thin the blood. Using aspirin
Every prescription and over-the-counter medicine, use of the medicine with alcohol or with another product that also
has benefits and risks--even such a common and • Other options and their risks and benefits contains aspirin, such as a cough-cold-sinus drug,
familiar medicine as aspirin. Aspirin use can result • What side effects you may experience can increase the chance of side effects.
in serious side effects, such as stomach bleeding, • What dose, and what directions for use are best
bleeding in the brain, kidney failure, and some for you Your health professional will consider your current
kinds of strokes. No medicine is completely safe. • How to know when the medicine is working or state of health. Some medical conditions,such as
By carefully reviewing many different factors, your not working for this use pregnancy, uncontrolled high blood pressure,
health professional can help you make the best bleeding disorders, asthma, peptic (stomach) ulcers,
choice for you. liver and kidney disease, could make aspirin a bad
choice for you.
When you don't have the labeling Make sure to tell your health professional
Make sure that all your health
directions to guide you, you need the all the medicines (prescription and
professionals are aware that you are using
medical knowledge of your doctor, nurse over-the-counter) and dietary supplements,
aspirin to reduce your risk of heart attack
practitioner or other health professional. including vitamins and herbals, that you
and clot-related strokes.
use--even if only occasionally.

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FACT: Once your doctor decides that daily

use of aspirin is for you, safe use depends

for Reducing Your

Risk of Heart Attack

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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