Aspirin: Adverse Reactions

Aspirin: Indications

Aspirin is similarly efficient as paracetamol on trivial acute pain (e.g. headaches, dental pain, or colds). However, it is also used for chronic states of pain, e.g. for cancer patients and (in high doses) for rheumatic fever. For other rheumatic diseases (chronic polyarthritis, osteoarthritis, etc.) and for dysmenorrhea aspirin is not as efficient or not as well tolerated as other prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors such as ibuprofen.

In small doses (30 to 300 mg/day) aspirin serves in the prevention of thromboembolic angiopathies. Its use is well documented as a secondary prophylaxis for coronary heart disease (after a myocardial infarction or a bypass operation), after transient ischemic attacks and cerebrovascular accidents and for peripheral occlusive arterial disease. The following subjects also benefit from small doses of aspirin: persons over 50 years of age with cardiovascular risk factors; persons with atrial fibrillation who have a contraindication for anticoagulants. In pre-eclampsia prophylaxis the effect of aspirin is marginal. Children with Kawasaki's disease initially receive high and later low aspirin doses.

Aspirin: Adverse Reactions

When used as a analgesic aspirin often causes stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and occult gastrointestinal blood loss. Dangerous gastrointestinal complications (bleeding, perforated ulcers) are relatively rare. The uncommon, so-called aspirin intolerance with potentially life-threatening bronchospasms occurs more frequently in persons with asthma, nasal polyps, or urticaria. Aspirin rarely causes hepatitis (if so then especially in persons with lupus erythematosus). The role of the salicylate in analgesic nephropathy (combination of analgesics!) is not clear. High doses cause ringing in the ear and hearing loss. Doses of less than 100 mg/day very rarely cause complications.

An acute intoxication is dangerous particularly in young children (metabolic acidosis develops faster than in adults).

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1341