Aspirin helps relieve pain, inflammation, and fever.
Aspirin is also a blood-thinning medicine. It prevents special cells in the blood from sticking to each other. This reduces the risk of harmful blood clots forming in your body. Blood clots that form in a blood vessel inside the heart or brain can cause a heart attack or stroke.
This medicine is used to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people who have a high risk of getting them. This includes those who have had a heart attack or stroke before and are at risk of experiencing them again and people with medical conditions that may increase their chances of getting these conditions.
This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as decided by your doctor.
Take Aspirin exactly as directed by your doctor or according to the instructions on the label. Do not take more or less than instructed by your doctor.
You may take this medicine with food to reduce any stomach discomfort that it may cause. Try to take it at the same time each day.
Aspirin is available as a capsule, caplet, enteric-coated tablet, and dispersible tablet. The product availability of this medicine may vary per country, ask your doctor or pharmacist how to properly take your medicine.
If you are taking the dispersible tablet, dissolve the tablet in water before taking it.
The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the treatment timeframe depending on your condition.
If you are taking this medicine for pain, inflammation, or fever, you may stop taking it once you feel better.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your normal dosing schedule.
DO NOT double a dose under any circumstances.
If you often forget to take your medicine, let your doctor and pharmacist know.
Do not take this medicine if you ever had an allergic reaction (e.g. rashes, breathlessness, swollen eyes, asthma attacks, runny nose) to Aspirin or similar medicines or painkillers such as ibuprofen.
Alert your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:
- nasal polyps (soft, painless, noncancerous growths on the lining of the nose or sinuses) associated with asthma
- active or history of recurrent ulcer of the stomach or bowel
- bleeding in the stomach or bowel
- bleeding disorder or tendencies to bleed
- severe heart failure (weakness and inability of the heart to pump blood)
- gout (high uric acid level in the blood)
- severe liver disease
- severe kidney disease
as Aspirin may not be suitable for you.
Do not take high doses of Aspirin (above 100 mg daily) if you are in your 3rd trimester of pregnancy. This medicine may cause harm to your unborn child.
Do not take this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
Do not give this medicine to children below 16 years old and/or those who have or are recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms, unless instructed to do so by the doctor.
Do not take Aspirin with medicine used for organ transplant or certain immune disorders called methotrexate.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- asthma or any other form of allergies
- long-term lung disease
- anaemia (low red blood cell count in the body)
- G6PD deficiency (an inherited blood disorder that affects the red blood cell)
- dehydration
- systemic lupus erythematosus (an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation)
- thyrotoxicosis (excessive thyroid hormones in the blood)
- menorrhagia (heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding)
- high blood pressure
- heart problems
- mild to moderate kidney disease
- mild to moderate liver disease
Let your doctor know if you are in your 1st or 2nd trimester of pregnancy.
Be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving Aspirin to the elderly or debilitated patient. Elderly people or debilitated patients may be more sensitive to the side effects.
Notify your doctor if you consume large amounts of alcohol or if you are an active smoker.
If you are going for an operation, including minor operations and dental work, inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medicine.
Inform your doctor if you have been recently vaccinated. Do not receive any vaccinations without first asking your doctor.
For as long as you are taking this medicine, you may need to have regular blood tests to check your body's response to the medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have blood tests.
Aspirin may cause any of the following side effects: headache, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, runny nose, and dizziness with sensations of spinning.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- rashes, breathlessness, swelling of the face, eyes, or mouth
- pass out bloody or black as tar stools and vomiting blood or ground coffee-like material
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- ringing in the ears, changes in hearing or loss of hearing
- rashes with peeling of the skin or blistering of the lips, mouth, or eyes accompanied by fever
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Do not take Aspirin if you are taking 15 mg or more of methotrexate (medicine used in organ transplant or certain immune disorders) weekly.
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking or using any of these medicines:
- other blood-thinning medicines e.g. heparin, warfarin, clopidogrel
- NSAIDs (medicines for pain and inflammation) e.g. ibuprofen
- corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medicines) e.g. prednisolone
- medicines to treat depression e.g. sertraline, paroxetine
- medicines for diabetes e.g. insulin
- medicines for high blood pressure
- water pills or medicines for water retention e.g. furosemide
- medicines for gout e.g. probenecid, sulfinpyrazone
- certain antibiotics e.g. vancomycin, sulfamethoxazole
- other medicines used in organ transplant or certain immune disorders e.g. ciclosporin, tacrolimus
- medicines for epilepsy (fits or seizures) e.g. phenytoin, valproic acid
- digoxin (medicine for heart disease)
- lithium (medicine for mood disorders)
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Aspirin.
Always notify your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
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