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Medical IDs for Regular Aspirin Use
The confidence to live with regular aspirin use
Just about every American has taken aspirin at some point in their lives for the temporary relief of minor ailments such as headaches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, and muscle aches. In some cases, your doctor may recommend aspirin use on a regular basis to help treat and prevent life-threatening conditions such as heart attack and stroke. Aspirin is typically purchased over-the-counter (OTC) as a nonprescription medicine. Prescription aspirin use is less common, and primarily prescribed for chronic conditions such as arthritis and lupus.
While aspirin has many uses and benefits, it can also cause a negative reaction when combined with certain other drugs. It is important to let healthcare professionals know that you are taking aspirin—prescription or not.
That’s why a medical ID for regular aspirin use is so important for people regularly taking aspirin.
How MedicAlert protects you with medical IDs for regular aspirin use
One thing you shouldn’t worry about is what could happen if there’s an emergency. MedicAlert’s protection plans offer benefits that extend beyond the ID, providing safety and peace of mind for people living with regular aspirin use, their families and caregivers.
24/7 Emergency Response
Our team provides first responders the information they need to provide fast, accurate care.
Digital Health Profile
All your vital information, all in one place for you and your caregiver.
Emergency Contact Notification
In an emergency, we connect families so that no one is alone in a crisis.
Patient Instructions
Share the information that’s important to your care, such as use of rescue medications or contraindication for tests like MRIs.
Pair a medical ID for regular aspirin use with the protection plan that’s right for you.
What exactly is regular aspirin use?
Aspirin as we know it was discovered in 1897, when German chemist and Friedrich Bayer & Co. researcher Felix Hoffman altered salicylic acid to create acetylsalicylic acid. This creation was called aspirin. Today, aspirin is the most widely used drug in the world for pain relief, fever management, and inflammation reduction. Millions of Americans who are at risk of a second heart attack or stroke take aspirin under a doctor’s care.
For at-risk populations, the decision to take aspirin regularly is dependent on a number of combined factors such as the severity of the condition, benefits (such as prevention of blood clots, which can lead to heart attack and stroke), and risks (such as the increased likelihood of internal bleeding).
Because aspirin can produce side effects, it is important to talk to your doctor before beginning any type of aspirin therapy or regimen.
For which conditions is regular aspirin use prescribed?
Regular aspirin use is generally prescribed for individuals who have suffered a heart attack or stroke, those who have known heart or blood vessel (vascular) disease such as atherosclerosis or angina (chest pain), individuals who have had bypass surgery or angioplasty or stent(s) to treat heart disease, and those with other heart disease risk factors.
To a lesser extent, but still common, aspirin may also be prescribed for individuals living with rheumatoid arthritis (caused by swelling of the lining of the joints), osteoarthritis (caused by a breakdown of the lining of the joints), systemic lupus erythematosus, where the immune system attacks the joints and organs, causing swelling and pain, and other rheumatologic conditions in which the immune system attacks parts of the body.
Aspirin may be prescribed as a low-dose treatment, typically 81 mgs per tablet. Regular-strength or higher dose aspirin, often 325-650 mg per tablet, is usually taken for headaches, fever, and minor aches and pains. Some of the most common OTC aspirin brands include Bayer, Ecotrin, and Bufferin.
What to engrave on your MedicAlert medical ID for regular aspirin use:
MedicAlert offers free custom engraving on all our regular aspirin use bracelets and medical ID products. Engravings on medical IDs for regular aspirin use should include any critical medical information that can protect and save lives in an accident or medical emergency, for example:
- Taking aspirin/receiving aspirin therapy
- Current medical condition or conditions
- Emergency contact information
Sample engraving. Consult our team if you need help engraving your medical ID for regular aspirin use.
What are the advantages of regular aspirin use?
Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that, when taken regularly, diminishes the blood’s ability to clot by targeting platelets, the body’s smallest blood cells. This blood-thinning property reduces the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke.
In individuals living with rheumatologic conditions, regular aspirin use alleviates inflammatory symptoms such as pain and swelling. Aspirin does this by blocking the production of prostaglandins, which serve a host of purposes in the body from regulating pain and inflammation to protecting the lining of the stomach.
What are the potential side effects of regular aspirin use?
While aspirin use can help prevent a heart attack or stroke and ease pain and inflammation, because it blocks the production of prostaglandins, the stomach lining loses its protection against stomach acids, among other threats. This can lead to gastrointestinal upset, ulcers, and bleeding.
While aspirin has blood-thinning properties that help reduce blood clots, these same properties can increase the risk of bleeding into the brain during stroke. Some people who take aspirin regularly notice that their skin bruises easily or when they have a cut, they bleed much more than they usually would.
Aspirin can also be dangerous when taken with other blood-thinning medications such as Eliquis (apixaban) and Xarelto (rivaroxaban), and in individuals with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney failure, severe liver disease, or bleeding/clotting disorders. Other potential side effects of regular aspirin use include:
- Black or tarry stools
- Bloody vomit
- Bright red blood in stools
- Cold, clammy skin
- Fast breathing
- Fast heartbeat
- Heartburn
- Hives
- Hoarseness
- Loss of hearing or ringing in the ears
- Nausea
- Rash
Some side effects of regular aspirin use can be serious. They include:
- Stomach pain
- Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Vomiting or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- Wheezing or difficulty breathing
A normal daily dose of aspirin has the potential to build up in the body over time and also cause a number of unusual symptoms that could be dangerous. If you take aspirin regularly and have any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately.
- Abnormally excited mood
- Burning pain in the throat or stomach
- Confusion
- Decreased urination
- Dizziness
- Double vision
- Drowsiness
- Fear or nervousness
- Fever
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, or even tasting things that are not real)
- Irritability
- Rambling (talking a lot and saying things that don’t make sense)
- Restlessness
- Seizures
- Syncope (loss of consciousness for a period of time)
- Tremors (uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body)
- Vomiting
How should you manage and live with regular aspirin use?
When taken occasionally, aspirin use is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As mentioned, regular aspirin use or daily aspirin therapy can cause side effects—some can be serious. Daily aspirin use is not a good choice for you if you are living with bleeding or clotting disorders that cause you to bleed easily, an aspirin allergy, bleeding stomach ulcers, or a history of gastrointestinal bleeding.
Pregnant women, heavy drinkers, or people living with liver damage should also consider an alternative treatment to aspirin therapy. Aspirin can cause rare but serious kidney problems in unborn babies. Mixing alcohol with aspirin can stress the liver, causing liver damage. In individuals with existing liver damage, aspirin can worsen the condition. The possibility of dangerous drug interactions is a primary reason medical IDs for regular aspirin use are so crucial for many people.
How medical IDs for regular aspirin use combined with MedicAlert Membership provide peace of mind
If you take aspirin on a regular basis, you need a MedicAlert medical ID for regular aspirin use. A MedicAlert medical ID can be your voice in an emergency. Add a MedicAlert protection plan and your MedicAlert medical ID becomes even more valuable.
If you are taking aspirin regularly for any condition, a MedicAlert protection plan can help deliver all of the critical details of your condition, your emergency contact information, designated physician information, and other details that are vital to your care in an emergency.
- We’re your voice: If you can’t speak for yourself due to a medical emergency, your ID will speak for you – informing others about your regular aspirin use and any other medications you’re taking.
- 24/7 emergency protection: In an emergency, the MedicAlert team will relay all of your critical medical information to first responders, no matter where or when your emergency happens.
- Always connected: You should never be alone in an emergency. That’s why MedicAlert will reach out to your designated contacts if you are unable to do so.
- Live with peace of mind and confidence: MedicAlert will be there for you every step of the way. You’ll have the confidence and freedom to live your life with regular aspirin use, knowing we’ve got you covered.
DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. The information in this article is presented for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.