When is aspirin dangerous?

Aspirin is in the medicine cabinet of almost every Russian. At the same time, it is believed that the effect of this medicine is well known, therefore, most often it is taken without a doctor’s prescription. What is the danger of uncontrolled intake of aspirin, Denis Afanasiev, an emergency medical assistant, told Moskovskaya Pravda.

Acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin, is taken as a pain reliever, and as an antipyretic, and as a blood thinner, and even as a cure for a hangover or acne. Not to mention the fact that aspirin tablets are used for a variety of economic purposes. But the latter is mostly not dangerous. But taking aspirin without a doctor’s prescription really threatens to worsen health.

– Aspirin in small doses is an antiplatelet agent that thins the blood. In the modern world, it is used for the sake of this action, that is, for the prevention of heart attacks and strokes,” said Denis Afanasiev.

However, uncontrolled intake of the drug can lead, for example, to erosion, and then to a stomach ulcer, the doctor noted.

– One of the complications of peptic ulcer is gastrointestinal bleeding (an ulcer violates the integrity of a blood vessel), another complication, no less dangerous, is stomach perforation. This, in simple words, is a hole in the stomach, through which all its contents are poured into the abdominal cavity, causing peritonitis, Denis Afanasyev warned.

Another complication, the doctor called aspirin bronchial asthma.

– This disease develops with intolerance to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, more often it is aspirin, – the expert explained. – It develops more often in women aged 30 – 50 years. It starts more often with rhinitis, and later, in the absence of treatment, it turns into asthma attacks.

In addition, Denis Afanasiev recommends not giving aspirin to children under 15 years of age, as there is a risk of developing Reye’s syndrome, a deadly condition that occurs in children and adolescents during the treatment of viral infections with drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid.

Today, there are many drugs that have good analgesic and antipyretic properties. Of course, for the most part they are more expensive than aspirin, but the additional substances contained in them protect the body from unpleasant side effects that are possible when using pure acetylsalicylic acid. The same “aspirin for the heart”, “Cardiomagnyl”, contains magnesium hydroxide to protect the gastric mucosa from excessive irritation and erosion.

At the same time, doctors have repeatedly warned that self-medication means doing yourself a disservice. And even the usual painkiller or drops from the common cold can, if taken uncontrollably, lead not to an improvement, but to a deterioration in health and well-being. So, before starting a long-term medication, it is better to consult with your doctor.

Alena Bodrienko.

Photo by Igor Ivanko / Moskva Agency