Tag Archives: Myocardial infarction

Aspirin is not for everyone?

July 22, 2013 Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A. 17 Comments

I am sure you have heard that there are tons (OK, 60 million or so) of people taking aspirin every day to make sure they don’t get a heart attack. (No, I am not among them- I am allergic to aspirin.) The aspirin regimen exists because we know that aspirin makes platelets less “sticky”, less prone to clump together, which is what a blood clot is. (And, that means a stroke or a heart attack can be imminent.) But, up until recently, we did not know why some folks got heart attacks and others didn’t- even though they were both taking aspirin- some number less than 30% of those who take the pills are so affected. Until now.

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That aspirin tablet- NOT so fast!!!

February 15, 2012 Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A. 15 Comments

When I turned 50, my friend told me to consider taking an aspirin tablet every day. (Before you react crazily, I should remind you that my friend IS my doctor.) He suggested this routine because aspirin tends to ‘thin the blood’, rendering it more difficult for blood to clot and, therefore, block blood flow to the heart or brain. (Aspirin inactivates platelet cyclooxygenase; this precludes them from producing thomboxane A₂. Thromboxane, in turn, is a vasoconstrictor and promotes platelet aggregation. Aspirin also has anti-inflamatory and vasodilation effects.)

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