FACT: Once your doctor decides that daily

use of aspirin is for you, safe use depends

on following your doctor’s directions Aspiri n You can walk into any pharmacy, grocery or 

ou for Y r 

convenience store and buy aspirin without a There are no directions on the label for using aspirin to prescription. The Drug Facts label on medication reduce the risk of heart attack or clot-related stroke. Y products, will help you choose aspirin for relieving must rely on your health professional to provide the Reducing ou headache, pain, swelling, or fever. The Drug Facts correct information on dose and directions for use. Using 

 

label also gives directions that will help you use the aspirin correctly gives you the best chance of getting the aspirin so that it is safe and ef greatest benefits with the fewest unwanted side effects. 

Discuss with your health professional the different forms 

of aspirin products that might be best suited for you. 

Risk of Heart Attack fective. 

and Stroke: 

But what about using aspirin for a different use, time 

period, or in a manner that is not listed on the label? 

For example, using aspirin to lower the risk of heart Aspirin has been shown to lower the risk of heart attack attack and clot-related strokes. In these cases, the and stroke in patients who have cardiovascular disease or labeling information is not there to help you with how who have already had a heart attack or stroke, but not all to choose and how to use the medicine safely. Since over-the-counter pain and fever reducers do that. Even you don't have the labeling directions to help you, though the directions on the aspirin label do not apply to you need the medical knowledge of your doctor, this use of aspirin, you still need to read the label to 

confirm that the product you buy and use contains aspirin 

at the correct dose. Check the Drug Facts label for“active You can increase the chance of getting the good ingredients: aspirin” or “acetylsalicylic acid”at the dose effects and decrease the chance of getting the bad that your health professional has prescribed. K N O W TH E 

nurse practitioner or other health professional. 

FACT S 

effects of any medicine by choosing and using it 

wisely. When it comes to using aspirin to lower the Remember, if you are using aspirin everyday for weeks, risk of heart attack and stroke, choosing and using months or years to prevent a heart attack, stroke, or for wisely means: any use not listed on the label - without guidance from 

your health professional - you could be doing your body 

more harm than good. Know the facts 

Go to www.fda.gov or call toll-free 1-888-INFO-FDA and
 

Work with your health professional
 

ERVICE

N S

S • U

A

S

M

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UH & HTLAEHF OTNE MTRAPED

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
 

Food and Drug Administration
 
 

 

 

 

FACT: Daily use of aspirin is not 

right foreveryone. 

Aspirin has been shown to be helpful when 

used daily to lower the risk of heart attack, 

clot-related strokes and other blood flow problems 

in patients who have cardiovascular disease or who 

have already had a heart attack or stroke. Many 

medical professionals prescribe aspirin for these 

uses. There may be a benefit in daily aspirin use for 

you if you have some kind of heart or blood vessel 

disease, or if you have evidence of poor blood flow 

to the brain. However,the risks of long-term aspirin 

use may be greater than the benefits if there are no 

signs of, or risk factors for heart or blood vessel 

disease. 

Every prescription and over-the-counter medicine, 

has benefits and risks--even such a common and 

familiar medicine as aspirin. Aspirin use can result 

in serious side effects, such as stomach bleeding, 

bleeding in the brain, kidney failure, and some 

kinds of strokes. No medicine is completely safe. 

By carefully reviewing many different factors, your 

health professional can help you make the best 

choice for you. 

FACT: Daily aspirin can be safest

when prescribed by a medical

health professional 

Before deciding if daily aspirin use is right for 

you, your health professional will need to 

consider: 

• Your medical history and the history of your 

family members 

• Your use of other medicines, including 

prescription and over-the-counter 

• Your use of other products, such as dietary 

supplements, including vitamins and herbals 

• Your allergies or sensitivities, and anything that 

affects your ability to use the medicine 

• What you have to gain, or the benefits, from the 

use of the medicine 

• Other options and their risks and benefits 

• What side effects you may experience 

• What dose, and what directions for use are best 

for you 

• How to know when the medicine is working or 

not working for this use 

FACT: Aspirin is a drug 

If you are at risk for heart attack or stroke your 

doctor may prescribe aspirin to increase blood flow 

to the heart and brain. But any drug--including 

aspirin--can have harmful side effects,especially 

when mixed with other products. In fact, the chance 

of side effects increases with each new product you 

use. 

New products includes prescription and other 

over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, 

(including vitamins and herbals), and sometimes 

foods and beverages. For instance, people who 

already use a prescribed medication to thin the blood 

should not use aspirin unless recommended by a 

health professional. There are also dietary 

supplements known to thin the blood. Using aspirin 

with alcohol or with another product that also 

contains aspirin, such as a cough-cold-sinus drug, 

can increase the chance of side effects. 

Your health professional will consider your current 

state of health. Some medical conditions,such as 

pregnancy, uncontrolled high blood pressure, 

bleeding disorders, asthma, peptic (stomach) ulcers, 

liver and kidney disease, could make aspirin a bad 

choice for you. 

When you don't have the labeling 

directions to guide you, you need the 

medical knowledge of your doctor, nurse 

practitioner or other health professional. 

Make sure to tell your health professional 

all the medicines (prescription and 

over-the-counter) and dietary supplements, 

including vitamins and herbals, that you 

use--even if only occasionally. 

Make sure that all your health 

professionals are aware that you are using 

aspirin to reduce your risk of heart attack 

and clot-related strokes.