Asprin For pain and Inflammation.
Of the 100 million
asprin
tablets North Americans take each day, most are taken not for everyday
aches and pains but to reduce the risk of heart disease. Studies show
aspirin's
usefulness in treating cardiovascular disease, including heart attack
and
stroke. The drug,
which was originally
discovered thru the wide usage of willow bark for pain and other
problems, has
been shown to reduce the risk of the following medical problems:
--stroke in those who have had a
previous stroke or who
have had a warning sign called a transient ischemic attack
(mini-stroke)
--heart attack in those who have
had a previous heart
attack or experience angina (chest pain)
--death or complications from a
heart attack if the
drug is taken at the first signs of a heart attack
--recurrent blockage for those
who have had heart
bypass surgery or other procedures to clear blocked arteries, such as
balloon
angioplasty or carotid endarterectomy.
Asprin
dosage
The recommended
doses of asprin
for cardiovascular uses are lower than those doctors had been
prescribing since this new use became popular: generally, 50 to 325
milligrams
once daily (75 to 325 milligrams for angina and previous heart attack).
Scientists believe
that aspirin's ability to reduce the body's production of hormone-like
"prostaglandins"
is why it is effective in helping to stop pain and also effective for
reducing
inflammation, as well as protectiving against heart attacks and
strokes.
Prostaglandins can cause platelets in the blood to stick together,
which can
over time lead to blocked blood vessels and interfere with the delivery
of oxygen-rich
blood to tissues.
When a clot forms
in the brain, it can cause a stroke, and in the heart, a heart attack.
Reduce
the prostaglandins, and that reduces the risk of dangerous blood clots,
heart
attacks, and strokes. Asprin may not be as flashy as some of the newer
drugs,
but for many people, it offers a daily dose of security, and can also
help with
other problems.
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