An Aspirin A Day Keeps The Cardiologist Away

And the oncologist, neurologist, gastroenterologist, dermatologist and...florist?!

By Sharon Orrange, MD
Published: Dec 01, 2007

Since being introduced to the market under the trademark Aspirin in 1899, acetylsalicylic acid has been the leading method of over-the-counter pain, inflammation and fever relief worldwide. For an update of the myriad benefits of that often overlooked, hard-to-swallow gem, we turn it over to Dr. Sharon Orrange to bring us up to date:

Aspirin has well known uses for fever, pain and arthritis, and for a medication that costs pennies a day, aspirin alone given at the onset of chest pain has the greatest impact on reduction of death from heart attack than any other intervention. Similarly a patient suspected of having an acute stroke has a better outcome if aspirin is given within 48 hours.

But who should be taking an aspirin a day and what are the real benefits?
For stroke and heart disease, two of the leading causes of death in the U.S., aspirin plays an important role in prevention but carries risks of bleeding. Should healthy people take an aspirin day? The answer is, not necessarily. Men and women with 2 cardiac risk factors or more (male sex, family history, hypertension, type II Diabetes and smoking) should consider a daily aspirin of 75-162 mg to significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Is there any benefit with aspirin and cancer prevention?

Aspirin appears to decrease the risk of colon cancer but only with high doses for long periods of time (10-20 years). Overall the harms outweigh the benefits of aspirin for prevention of colon cancer so it is not recommended in adults at average risk (including those with family history) and no symptoms.

Aside from cardiovascular disease, sore throats and fever, what are some other real benefits of aspirin?

Well, aspirin is good for the skin. Topical preparations of aspirin (salicylic acid) are effective in the treatment of acne, dandruff, warts, psoriasis and eczema and work by loosening dry skin so it’s easier to remove, making other preparations more effective.

Aspirin has been rumored to help keep flowers from drooping, and this may be the case, as dissolving an aspirin in the water lowers the pH balance, helping water absorption and inhibiting the growth of bacteria.

Though aspirin has many other touted uses, including removing stains, getting the green out of swimmers hair, and easing bee stings, the evidence doesn’t indicate that aspirin is as good as other standard therapies we have to offer.

USC physician, Dr. Sharon Orrange received her BA in Biology at UCSD and a Masters Degree in Health Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. She received her MD from the USC/Keck School of Medicine and completed residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Currently, Dr. Orrange is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatric and General Internal Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine and has an active private practice in General Internal Medicine. She is board certified in Internal Medicine.

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