Aspirin Enteric Coated 75mg Tablets (Low Dose Aspirin)

Aspirin Enteric Coated Tablets belong to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It prevents blood cells, or platelets, from producing thromboxane. It is this substance that can cause platelets to clump together and start off the process of blood clotting. This can be dangerous, as it could cause a blockage that cuts off the blood supply to an organ. A blockage in the arteries supplying blood to the heart or brain can cause a heart attack or stroke.

People with angina, or who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke, are at risk of having another because of the atherosclerosis in their arteries and in this case, low dose aspirin is used to lower the risk of this.

This dosage of aspirin is not to be used for pain relief.

Published in the Daily Mail December 7 2010:

Taking an aspirin every day cuts the risk of dying from a range of common cancers, according to a major study. The study has led to the 100-year-old painkiller - costing just 1p a tablet - being hailed as 'the most amazing drug in the world'.

Experts say healthy middle-aged people who start taking low-dose aspirin around the age of 45 or 50 for 20 to 30 years could expect to reap the most benefit, because cancer rates rise with age.

In addition, a 75mg dose - a quarter of a standard 300mg tablet - helps prevent heart attacks and strokes even in people who have not been diagnosed with cardiovascular problems. Millions of heart patients who already take low-dose aspirin on doctors' orders to ward off a second heart attack or stroke will be getting built-in cancer protection.

Professor Peter Rothwell, of the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, who headed the latest study of almost 26,000 patients, is convinced the ground rules have changed. He said: 'These findings provide the first proof in man that aspirin reduces deaths due to several common cancers'.

'Previous guidelines have rightly cautioned that in healthy middle-aged people the small risk of bleeding on aspirin partly offsets the benefits from prevention of strokes and heart attacks, but the reductions in deaths due to several common cancers will now alter this balance for many people.'

After five years of taking aspirin, death rates fell by 34 per cent for all cancers and 54 per cent for gastrointestinal cancers.

Professor Alastair Watson, of the University of East Anglia, said: 'This study provides strong evidence that taking regular aspirin for more than five years can help prevent development of a number of other forms of cancer, including lung, pancreas, oesophageal and prostate cancers'.

'It also indicates that the longer aspirin is taken for, the greater the benefit. It is important that people know aspirin can cause dangerous bleeding in the stomach in some patients. People wishing to take aspirin should first discuss it with their GP.'

Always check with your GP before taking aspirin

How to take Aspirin Enteric Coated 75mg Tablets:

• Administration in adults: Patients should seek the advice of a doctor before commencing therapy for the first time. The usual dosage, for long-term use, is 75-150mg once daily. In some circumstances a higher dose may be appropriate, especially in the short term, and up to 300mg a day may be used on the advice of a doctor.
• Antithrombotic action: 150mg at diagnosis and 75mg daily thereafter. Tablets taken at diagnosis should be chewed in order to gain rapid absorption.
• The elderly: The risk-benefit ratio of the antithrombotic action of aspirin has not been fully established.
• Children:  Do not give to children aged under 16 years, unless specifically indicated (e.g. for Kawasaki's disease).

Each Aspirin Enteric Coated 75MG Tablet contains:

75 mg aspirin

Possible side effects whilst taking Aspirin Enteric Coated 75mg Tablets:

• All medicines may cause some unwanted or 'side-effects' in a few patients.
• Aspirin may trigger asthma attacks and wheezing or difficulty in breathing in asthma sufferers or other hypersensitivity reactions in susceptible individuals.
• If you notice any blood or discoloration in your stools, tell your doctor immediately.

Precautions to consider before taking Aspirin Enteric Coated 75mg Tablets:

Consult with your doctor before starting this treatment for blood thinning. Aspirin Enteric Coated 75mg Tablets are not to be used for pain relief.

·     There is a possible association between aspirin and Reye's syndrome when given to children. Reye's syndrome is a very rare disease, which affects the brain and liver, and can be fatal. For this reason aspirin should not be given to children aged under 16 years unless specifically indicated (e.g. for Kawasaki's disease).

·     Salicylates may enhance the effect of oral hypoglycaemic agents, phenytoin and sodium valproate. They inhibit the uricosuric effect of probenecid and may increase the toxicity of sulphonamides.

·     Aspirin may potentiate the effect of heparin and increases the risk of bleeding with oral anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents and fibrinolytics. 

·     Plasma salicylate concentrations may be reduced by concurrent use of corticosteroids, and salicylate toxicity may occur following withdrawal of the corticosteroids. The risk of gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding may be increased when aspirin and corticosteroids are co-administered. 

·     Concurrent use of aspirin and other NSAIDs should be avoided. Use of two or more NSAID preparations increases the risk of serious gastrointestinal haemorrhage.  Concurrent administration of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as acetazolamide and salicylates may result in severe acidosis and increased central nervous system toxicity.  In large doses, salicylates may also decrease insulin requirements. Patients using enteric coated aspirin should be advised against ingesting antacids simultaneously to avoid premature drug release. 

·     Before commencing long-term aspirin therapy for the management of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease patients should consult their doctor who can advise on the relative benefits versus the risks for the individual patient.

·     Aspirin decreases platelet adhesiveness and increases bleeding time. Haematological and haemorrhagic effects can occur, and may be severe. Patients should report any unusual bleeding symptoms to their physician.

·     Salicylates should be used with caution in patients with a history of peptic ulceration or coagulation abnormalities. They may also induce gastro-intestinal haemorrhage, occasionally major.

·     They may also precipitate bronchospasm or induce attacks of asthma in susceptible subjects.

·     Aspirin should be used with caution in patients with impaired renal function (avoid if severe), or in patients who are dehydrated.

·     Patients with hypertension should be carefully monitored.

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Note: Certain weight and product restrictions apply.

To ensure patient safety, private prescription orders are despatched via a courier delivery service and are not eligible for free delivery.