Aspirin

Aspirin is used to:

• reduce fever
• relieve mild to moderate pain and inflammation
• prevent heart attacks, strokes or mini-strokes
• reduce the risk of death in people who are experiencing or who have had a heart attack

Aspirin is in a group of medications called salicylates. It works by blocking natural substances that cause fever, pain, swelling, and blood clots.

Aspirin is also available in combination with other medications such as pain relievers and cough and cold medications. This monograph only includes information about the use of aspirin alone. If you are taking a combination product, read the information on the package or prescription label or ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Aspirin comes as a regular tablet, an extended-release (long-acting) tablet, and a chewable tablet to take by mouth. Take aspirin once a day to lower the risk of a heart attack or stroke and every 4 to 6 hours as needed to treat fever or pain. Take aspirin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than directed by the package label or prescribed by your doctor.

Swallow the extended-release tablets whole with a full glass of water. Do not break, crush, or chew them.

Chewable aspirin tablets may be chewed, crushed, or swallowed whole. Drink a full glass of water immediately after taking these tablets.

Stop taking aspirin and call your doctor if your fever lasts longer than 3 days, if your pain lasts longer than 10 days, or if the part of your body that was painful becomes red or swollen. You may have a condition that must be treated by a doctor.

Aspirin is also sometimes used to treat rheumatic fever (a serious condition that may develop after a strep throat infection) and Kawasaki disease (an illness that may cause heart problems). Aspirin is also sometimes used to lower the risk of blood clots in some patients and prevent certain problems during pregnancy.

Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition.

Before taking aspirin,

• tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to this medication, any part of this medication, or any other medications, foods or substances. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take while taking aspirin. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you more carefully for side effects.
• if you are taking aspirin on a regular basis to prevent heart attack or stroke, do not take ibuprofen to treat pain or fever without talking to your doctor. Your doctor will probably tell you to allow some time to pass between taking your daily dose of aspirin and taking a dose of ibuprofen.
• ask a doctor before you give aspirin to your child or teenager. Aspirin may cause Reye's syndrome (a serious condition in which fat builds up on the brain, liver, and other body organs) in children and teenagers, especially if they have a virus such as chicken pox or the flu.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had asthma, frequent stuffed or runny nose, or nasal polyps (growths on the linings of the nose). If you have these conditions, there is a risk that you will have an allergic reaction to aspirin. Your doctor may tell you that you should not take aspirin.
• tell your doctor if you often have heartburn, upset stomach, or stomach pain and if you have or have ever had ulcers, anemia, bleeding problems such as hemophilia, or kidney or liver disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, you plan to become pregnant, or if you are breast-feeding. Low dose aspirin (81 mg; "Baby aspirin") may be taken during pregnancy, but aspirin doses greater than 81 mg may harm the fetus and cause problems with delivery if it is taken around 20 weeks or later during pregnancy. Do not take aspirin doses greater than 81 mg (e.g., 325 mg) around or after 20 weeks of pregnancy, unless told to do so by your doctor. If you become pregnant while taking aspirin or aspirin containing medications, call your doctor.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking aspirin.
• If you have had oral surgery or surgery to remove your tonsils in the last 7 days, talk to your doctor about which types of aspirin are safe for you.
• if you drink three or more alcoholic drinks every day, ask your doctor if you should take aspirin or other medications for pain and fever.

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

If your doctor has told you to take aspirin on a regular basis and you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Aspirin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• nausea, vomiting
• stomach pain
• heartburn

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• hives, rash
• swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing
• hoarseness
• fast heartbeat
• fast breathing
• cold, clammy skin
• ringing in the ears or loss of hearing
• bloody vomit or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
• bright red blood in stools or black or tarry stools

Aspirin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you experience any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Dispose of any tablets that have a strong vinegar smell.

Keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant. Always lock safety caps. Place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. https://www.upandaway.org

Dispose of unneeded medications in a way so that pets, children, and other people cannot take them. Do not flush this medication down the toilet. Use a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist about take-back programs in your community. Visit the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website https://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for more information.

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include:

• burning pain in the throat or stomach
• vomiting
• decreased urination
• fever
• restlessness, irritability
• talking a lot and saying things that do not make sense
• fear or nervousness
• dizziness
• double vision
• uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
• confusion
• abnormally excited mood
• hallucination (seeing things or hearing voices that are not there)
• seizures
• drowsiness
• loss of consciousness for a period of time

Keep all appointments with your doctor.

If you are taking prescription aspirin, do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.

• Acuprin^®¶
• Anacin^® Aspirin Regimen^¶
• Ascriptin^®¶
• Aspergum^®¶
• Aspidrox^®¶
• Aspir-Mox^®¶
• Aspirtab^®¶
• Aspir-trin^®¶
• Bayer^® Aspirin
• Bufferin^®
• Buffex^®¶
• Easprin^®¶
• Ecotrin^®
• Empirin^®¶
• Entaprin^®¶
• Entercote^®¶
• Fasprin^®¶
• Genacote^®¶
• Gennin-FC^®¶
• Genprin^®¶
• Halfprin^®¶
• Magnaprin^®¶
• Miniprin^®¶
• Minitabs^®¶
• Ridiprin^®¶
• Sloprin^®¶
• Uni-Buff^®¶
• Uni-Tren^®¶
• Valomag^®¶
• Zorprin^®¶

• Alka-Seltzer^® (as various combination products containing Aspirin)
• Alor^® (containing Aspirin, Hydrocodone)^¶
• Anacin^® (containing Aspirin, Caffeine)
• Anacin^® Advanced Headache Formula (containing Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine)
• Aspircaf^® (containing Aspirin, Caffeine)^¶
• Axotal^® (containing Aspirin, Butalbital)^¶
• Azdone^® (containing Aspirin, Hydrocodone)^¶
• Bayer^® Aspirin Plus Calcium (containing Aspirin, Calcium Carbonate)
• Bayer^® Aspirin PM (containing Aspirin, Diphenhydramine)
• Bayer^® Back and Body Pain (containing Aspirin, Caffeine)
• BC Powder (as various combination products containing Aspirin and Caffeine)^¶
• Damason-P^® (containing Aspirin, Hydrocodone)
• Emagrin^® (containing Aspirin, Caffeine, Salicylamide)^¶
• Endodan^® (containing Aspirin, Oxycodone)^¶
• Equagesic^® (containing Aspirin, Meprobamate)^¶
• Excedrin^® (containing Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine)
• Excedrin^® Back & Body (containing Acetaminophen, Aspirin)
• Goody's^® Powder (as various combination products containing Aspirin)
• Levacet^® (containing Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine, Salicylamide)^¶
• Lortab^® ASA (containing Aspirin, Hydrocodone)^¶
• Micrainin^® (containing Aspirin, Meprobamate)^¶
• Momentum^® (containing Aspirin, Phenyltoloxamine)^¶
• Norgesic^® (containing Aspirin, Caffeine, Orphenadrine)^¶
• Orphengesic^® (containing Aspirin, Caffeine, Orphenadrine)
• Panasal^® (containing Aspirin, Hydrocodone)^¶
• Percodan^® (containing Aspirin, Oxycodone)
• Robaxisal^® (containing Aspirin, Methocarbamol)^¶
• Roxiprin^® (containing Aspirin, Oxycodone)^¶
• Saleto^® (containing Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine, Salicylamide)^¶
• Soma^® Compound (containing Aspirin, Carisoprodol)
• Soma^® Compound with Codeine (containing Aspirin, Carisoprodol, Codeine)
• Supac^® (containing Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine)^¶
• Synalgos-DC^® (containing Aspirin, Caffeine, Dihydrocodeine)^¶
• Talwin^® Compound (containing Aspirin, Pentazocine)^¶
• Vanquish^® (containing Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine)^¶

• Acetylsalicylic acid
• ASA