Aspirin Regimen Saved My Life
For the past 25 years I have been taking 325mg of micro-coated aspirin every 6 hours. When I was first diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and had suffered a heart attack at the age of 31, I began researching possible ways to survive without prescription drugs. All my research showed that the only effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis was aspirin. Doctors tried to put me on butazoladin, prednisone and other steroidal drugs, including Vioxx and Celebrex. The doctor was very stern with me and insisted that I would be in a wheelchair within one to three years. I stood my ground and stayed the course. Twenty-four aspirin a day was unheard of and yet my rheumatologist never questioned my inclusion of this regimen in the medicines I was taking.
In 1983, the FDA knew the benefits of aspirin, but would not allow the makers to make claim to its benefits. In 1988, they called it the "Freedom of Speech Aspirin."
By 1996 the cat was out of the bag and they could no longer prevent the research to be hidden from the public. Could it be that there was no money to be made in selling aspirin at less than $5/month.
In 2003, my rheumatologist said, "Now we know why you haven’t had another heart attack." "The aspirin prevented inflammation of the heart." Well aspirin does a lot more than that. My mother and her sister had suffered colon cancer and at 57, I was found to have four polyps with one branched - precursors to colon cancer.
Americans consume 80 million aspirin pills a day! Baby aspirin was not my goal. I am a big guy and blood volume is usually a major consideration in doses of medicine. When my doctor finally admitted that it would take the equivalent of 30 aspirin to deal with the rheumatoid arthritis, I decided that 12 aspirin would be just about right for my size and height. Each visit to the doctor, I brought my computer generated regimen of aspirin with me to be recorded in the file. They asked me if I had any trouble with my stomach and I promptly replied, "No." The doctor was amazed at how little bone loss I experienced in all these years. And now in 2006, we know the rest of the story.
Aspirin has long been known to offer significant protection against heart attack and stroke in addition to its pain-relieving effects. More recently it has been shown that aspirin also decreases the risk of colon and breast cancer and may also prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Aspirin’s effectiveness in preventing heart attacks has been tied to its action against platelets, the sticky blood components that initiate clots. Low-dose aspirin inhibits cyclooxgenase, the enzyme that makes platelets sticky. Most heart attacks involve a blood clot blocking an already narrowed artery, and aspirin has been shown to markedly decrease the chances of that culprit clot forming.
Despite some controversy, it appears that monitored doses of acetaminophen, ibuprofen and other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can be safely taken with aspirin. When I cannot wait the full six hours, I take one 500mg tablet of acetaminophen in between. That’s on a bad bout with arthritis. It’s a relief and offers me additional time to dose off and recuperate between the painful times. The deep sleep is especially helpful to my health. All of this from a pill that costs less than $5/month.
Brain Saver - Aspirin is well known for its ability to prevent strokes; it’s antiplatelet effect blocks the early formation of blood clots in the brain. Recently aspirin has been suggested to be effective at decreasing degenerative disease in the brain. A 2002 study of 4,000 patients in Utah revealed a 45 percent reduction in the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease amongst patients who were taking aspirin at least four times a week. The exact mechanism of action is not known, although some scientists believe that the anti-inflammatory effect of aspirin may lead to a reduction of amylid plaques in the brain, characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.
COLON-CANCER FIGHTER Colorectal cancer is the third leading cancer killer in both men and women. Large studies have shown that people who use aspirin regularly have only about half as much colon cancer as non-users. Aspirin’s anti-inflammatory properties—a result of its ability to block enzymes called cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 – may interfere with the growth of the intestinal cancer cells and their ability to attract a blood supply. It also appears that by encouraging abnormal cells to die, aspirin slows the rate at which normal cells mutate into atypical cells and then into tumor cells.
In 2002 a study at Dartmouth Medical School showed that taking aspirin reduced the number of polyps that lead to cancer. The study looked at 1,121 people who had colon polyps removed. During repeat screening three years later, the researchers found that only 38 percent of those getting baby aspirin had new polyps, compared with 47 percent of people getting placebos.
ASPIRIN & BREAST CANCER: Prolonged aspirin use may cut down on the incidence of estrogen-dependent breast tumors. The drug blocks production of prostaglandins, which are intimately involved in the production of the female hormone estrogen.
A study in May’s Journal of American Medical Association that looks back on over 1,400 patients with breast cancer and 1,400 without the disease found that women taking a daily aspirin had a 26 percent lower risk of developing estrogen-stimulated tumors, the most common type of breast cancer. Over 200,000 women develop breast cancer each year. Since over half of the new cases are estrogen sensitive, aspirin use could help to prevent over 26,000 cases!
The authors of the aspirin/breast cancer study are cautious. They conclude, "Since this is the first study, to our knowledge, that examined whether the protective effect of aspirin may be limited to hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, our findings need to be replicated before drawing definitive conclusions."
Consulting a physician can help you determine if you are in an ever-widening group of patients who should be taking aspirin prophylactically. Women with a higher-than-normal risk for breast cancer should be considered for aspirin therapy right now. A woman’s family history should be factored into the equation. A benefit-risk analysis must be done in each case before telling a patient to take aspirin for this reason. But aspirin as a preventative against breast cancer looks very promising.
The Drug That Acts Like a Super Food. The chemical compound in aspirin—acetyl-salicylic acid—is related to the salicylates found in fruit, vegetables and willow tree bark. Berries, herbs, spices and tea also contain high amounts.
Salicylates are believed to have the protective effect against colon cancer and heart disease that aspirin is credited with. But the average American diet is generally low in fruit and vegetables and therefore low in salicylates. This could help explain the increased incidence of these diseases as well as the preventive effect of aspirin taken as a supplement.
Gastric irritation and bleeding are common side effects of taking aspirin. Since the drug causes platelets to become less sticky, the risk of bleeding is increased at least twofold. The primary organs at risk for aspirin-related bleeding are the stomach and the brain. Aspirin and other NSAIDs are responsible for 16,500 deaths and more than 100,0000 hospitalizations annually in the United States—a result of peptic ulcers and gastrointestinal complications.
Heavy drinkers must also watch out because alcohol compounds the irritation of the stomach lining caused by aspirin. Anyone experiencing heartburn, queasiness, or blood in their stool, should consult a physician before taking aspirin. (Physicians should check every aspirin user for occult blood in the stool at least yearly.)
Hemorrhagic stroke occurs in about one in a thousand people on aspirin. Heavy alcohol users, people with bleeding disorders, those at risk for falls, and those with prior strokes are at greater risk for bleeding in the brain.
Aspirin allergy is fairly rare, but the drug is often poorly tolerated in patients with asthma or kidney disease. Aspirin can also cause sodium retention, raising blood pressure.
The risk of all these side effects is greatest for people who take daily doses for arthritis or other common problems. Though the American Heart Association recommends 81mg daily to prevent heart attack and stroke, a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that taking 325mg or more increased their risk for bleeding.
Those over 65 are also more susceptible to drug side effects because of slowing metabolism and frailer organs. Plus, recent studies suggest that about one-quarter of those who take aspirin may not respond to its effects. This group may obtain little protective effect against heart attack or stroke and should be considered for alternative medications.
Aspirin, like all medications can be beneficial, or can be misused or abused. But in weighing the pros and cons, aspirin remains a great drug–with a multitude of uses–appropriate for most of the population to protect against many diseases or to ease pain.
By 1996 the cat was out of the bag and they could no longer prevent the research to be hidden from the public. Could it be that there was no money to be made in selling aspirin at less than $5/month.
In 2003, my rheumatologist said, "Now we know why you haven’t had another heart attack." "The aspirin prevented inflammation of the heart." Well aspirin does a lot more than that. My mother and her sister had suffered colon cancer and at 57, I was found to have four polyps with one branched - precursors to colon cancer.
Americans consume 80 million aspirin pills a day! Baby aspirin was not my goal. I am a big guy and blood volume is usually a major consideration in doses of medicine. When my doctor finally admitted that it would take the equivalent of 30 aspirin to deal with the rheumatoid arthritis, I decided that 12 aspirin would be just about right for my size and height. Each visit to the doctor, I brought my computer generated regimen of aspirin with me to be recorded in the file. They asked me if I had any trouble with my stomach and I promptly replied, "No." The doctor was amazed at how little bone loss I experienced in all these years. And now in 2006, we know the rest of the story.
Aspirin has long been known to offer significant protection against heart attack and stroke in addition to its pain-relieving effects. More recently it has been shown that aspirin also decreases the risk of colon and breast cancer and may also prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Aspirin’s effectiveness in preventing heart attacks has been tied to its action against platelets, the sticky blood components that initiate clots. Low-dose aspirin inhibits cyclooxgenase, the enzyme that makes platelets sticky. Most heart attacks involve a blood clot blocking an already narrowed artery, and aspirin has been shown to markedly decrease the chances of that culprit clot forming.
Despite some controversy, it appears that monitored doses of acetaminophen, ibuprofen and other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can be safely taken with aspirin. When I cannot wait the full six hours, I take one 500mg tablet of acetaminophen in between. That’s on a bad bout with arthritis. It’s a relief and offers me additional time to dose off and recuperate between the painful times. The deep sleep is especially helpful to my health. All of this from a pill that costs less than $5/month.
Brain Saver - Aspirin is well known for its ability to prevent strokes; it’s antiplatelet effect blocks the early formation of blood clots in the brain. Recently aspirin has been suggested to be effective at decreasing degenerative disease in the brain. A 2002 study of 4,000 patients in Utah revealed a 45 percent reduction in the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease amongst patients who were taking aspirin at least four times a week. The exact mechanism of action is not known, although some scientists believe that the anti-inflammatory effect of aspirin may lead to a reduction of amylid plaques in the brain, characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.
COLON-CANCER FIGHTER Colorectal cancer is the third leading cancer killer in both men and women. Large studies have shown that people who use aspirin regularly have only about half as much colon cancer as non-users. Aspirin’s anti-inflammatory properties—a result of its ability to block enzymes called cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 – may interfere with the growth of the intestinal cancer cells and their ability to attract a blood supply. It also appears that by encouraging abnormal cells to die, aspirin slows the rate at which normal cells mutate into atypical cells and then into tumor cells.
In 2002 a study at Dartmouth Medical School showed that taking aspirin reduced the number of polyps that lead to cancer. The study looked at 1,121 people who had colon polyps removed. During repeat screening three years later, the researchers found that only 38 percent of those getting baby aspirin had new polyps, compared with 47 percent of people getting placebos.
ASPIRIN & BREAST CANCER: Prolonged aspirin use may cut down on the incidence of estrogen-dependent breast tumors. The drug blocks production of prostaglandins, which are intimately involved in the production of the female hormone estrogen.
A study in May’s Journal of American Medical Association that looks back on over 1,400 patients with breast cancer and 1,400 without the disease found that women taking a daily aspirin had a 26 percent lower risk of developing estrogen-stimulated tumors, the most common type of breast cancer. Over 200,000 women develop breast cancer each year. Since over half of the new cases are estrogen sensitive, aspirin use could help to prevent over 26,000 cases!
The authors of the aspirin/breast cancer study are cautious. They conclude, "Since this is the first study, to our knowledge, that examined whether the protective effect of aspirin may be limited to hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, our findings need to be replicated before drawing definitive conclusions."
Consulting a physician can help you determine if you are in an ever-widening group of patients who should be taking aspirin prophylactically. Women with a higher-than-normal risk for breast cancer should be considered for aspirin therapy right now. A woman’s family history should be factored into the equation. A benefit-risk analysis must be done in each case before telling a patient to take aspirin for this reason. But aspirin as a preventative against breast cancer looks very promising.
The Drug That Acts Like a Super Food. The chemical compound in aspirin—acetyl-salicylic acid—is related to the salicylates found in fruit, vegetables and willow tree bark. Berries, herbs, spices and tea also contain high amounts.
Salicylates are believed to have the protective effect against colon cancer and heart disease that aspirin is credited with. But the average American diet is generally low in fruit and vegetables and therefore low in salicylates. This could help explain the increased incidence of these diseases as well as the preventive effect of aspirin taken as a supplement.
Gastric irritation and bleeding are common side effects of taking aspirin. Since the drug causes platelets to become less sticky, the risk of bleeding is increased at least twofold. The primary organs at risk for aspirin-related bleeding are the stomach and the brain. Aspirin and other NSAIDs are responsible for 16,500 deaths and more than 100,0000 hospitalizations annually in the United States—a result of peptic ulcers and gastrointestinal complications.
Heavy drinkers must also watch out because alcohol compounds the irritation of the stomach lining caused by aspirin. Anyone experiencing heartburn, queasiness, or blood in their stool, should consult a physician before taking aspirin. (Physicians should check every aspirin user for occult blood in the stool at least yearly.)
Hemorrhagic stroke occurs in about one in a thousand people on aspirin. Heavy alcohol users, people with bleeding disorders, those at risk for falls, and those with prior strokes are at greater risk for bleeding in the brain.
Aspirin allergy is fairly rare, but the drug is often poorly tolerated in patients with asthma or kidney disease. Aspirin can also cause sodium retention, raising blood pressure.
The risk of all these side effects is greatest for people who take daily doses for arthritis or other common problems. Though the American Heart Association recommends 81mg daily to prevent heart attack and stroke, a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that taking 325mg or more increased their risk for bleeding.
Those over 65 are also more susceptible to drug side effects because of slowing metabolism and frailer organs. Plus, recent studies suggest that about one-quarter of those who take aspirin may not respond to its effects. This group may obtain little protective effect against heart attack or stroke and should be considered for alternative medications.
Aspirin, like all medications can be beneficial, or can be misused or abused. But in weighing the pros and cons, aspirin remains a great drug–with a multitude of uses–appropriate for most of the population to protect against many diseases or to ease pain.
posted by Stan Kent at
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