20 April,2016 01:10 PM IST | | mid-day online correspondent
Aspirin -- a common painkiller -- often used to treat pain, fever, and inflammation has myriad health benefits. Here's a look...
Aspirin
>> Heart attack sufferers are administered low doses of aspirin to reduce the risk of another attack or the death of the heart tissue.
>> Aspirin is also useful in preventing strokes. Studies have shown that aspirin and antiplatelet drugs are highly effective in secondary prevention after a stroke or transient ischemic attack.
>> Low to moderate doses of aspirin may be utilised people who've had blood clots in the deep veins of the legs and can't tolerate long-term use of blood thinners, according to some researchers.
>> Aspirin is believed to be capable of preventing certain types of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. Studies reveal that aspirin dosage could prevent the overall risk of both getting cancer and dying from cancer. Its anti-inflammatory properties can decrease the risk of bile duct cancer by lessening inflammation through slowing down an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase (COX), which is known to promote inflammation.
>> Aspirin is an effective analgesic for acute pain, but is generally considered inferior to ibuprofen for the alleviation of pain. Effervescent formulations of aspirin, such as Alka-Seltzer or Blowfish,[28] relieve pain faster than aspirin in tablets,[29] which makes them useful for the treatment of migraines.
>> Aspirin's ability to control fever is due to its action on the prostaglandin system through its irreversible inhibition of COX, officially known as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS), an enzyme responsible for formation of prostanoids, including thromboxane and prostaglandins such as prostacyclin.
>> Aspirin is recommended and used for treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis since it's an effective anti-inflammatory agent for both acute and long-term inflammation.
