What is Aspirin?
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is one of the oldest and most widely used medications in the world. It belongs to the NSAID class and has three main effects: it relieves mild to moderate pain, reduces fever, and reduces inflammation. At low doses (75mg), it also has blood-thinning (antiplatelet) properties, which is why it is widely used to prevent heart attacks and strokes in people at risk.
Uses of Aspirin
- Pain relief — headaches, toothache, period pain, muscle pain (300–900mg doses)
- Fever reduction
- Prevention of heart attacks and strokes — low-dose aspirin (75mg) prevents platelets from clumping together and forming clots
- Treatment of acute heart attack — 300mg chewed immediately as first aid
- Antiphospholipid syndrome
- Kawasaki disease
- Pre-eclampsia prevention in pregnancy (under medical supervision)
Who Should Not Take Aspirin?
- Children under 16 (risk of Reye's syndrome)
- People with stomach ulcers or bleeding disorders
- Those with aspirin allergy or asthma triggered by NSAIDs
- Pregnant women (except low-dose under medical supervision)
Side Effects
- Stomach irritation and indigestion
- Increased bleeding risk
- Stomach ulcers with long-term use
- Tinnitus at high doses