The Truth About Coated Aspirin Daily Low Dose

For many years aspirin has been prescribed by physicians as a means of reducing the risk of a first or even a second heart attack, especially for patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, because they exhibited an ability to reduce the formation of blood clots. The key ingredient in aspirin is ASA or Acetylsalicylic Acid.

With patient and doctor concerns about aspirins side effects on the stomach, such as ulcers, aspirin companies began coating some aspirin so that it would resist being dissolved in the stomach but instead would enter the colon before it fully dissolved. The assumption was that this enteric coating would not interfere with the aspirin being absorbed in the intestinal tract and therefore, would be just as effective as its uncoated version.

Over time it was discovered that lower doses, as those found in children’s aspirin, was just as effective as the normal higher dose in decreasing the risk of blood clots. Due to some less than desirable side effects of excessive amounts of aspirin in the blood stream, doctors began recommending low dose aspirin for this use routinely. These lower doses can also be found in the coated form.

Recent studies have found that enteric coated aspirin daily low dose is not absorbed effectively enough to reduce the risk of blood clotting. When compared to the uncoated form of the same aspirin products, it was found that coated versions were not as effective in reducing thromboxane, which is an indicator of the absorption of aspirin and its ability to reduce the risk of blood clotting. These indicators were at higher levels in the body of the test group that used coated aspirin daily low dose than those who used the uncoated form.

A further finding indicates that body mass also contributes to the decrease in effectiveness of the enteric coated variety of aspirin. As shown in one study a normal-weight person has about a 20% chance of not receiving satisfactory absorption of aspirin from a coated brand. Likewise, the absorption rate fell even more with over-weight patients. Weight is also a factor with patients that are using any kind of aspirin for other reason than the benefits to the cardio system such as pain control. These findings may explain why some patients have been considered to be resistant.

All things considered aspirin is still a good source of controlling the effects that blood clots have on the systems of the body. Patients should consult their doctors when determining what dosages to take of the coated aspirin in order to obtain the greatest benefit from these products for their health.

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