Almost everyone has taken an aspirin, or aspirin substitute, for a headache. Now there is strong suggestion that aspirin (not the substitutes, unfortunately) prevent heart attacks, or at least minimize the damage when they occur.

 A study recently published in the British medical journal, The Lancet, reports the benefits of aspirin to people who take medication to control high blood pressure. The study involved 18,000 patients being treated for high blood pressure. 

 Among the aspirin takers the rate of heat attacks was 36% lower when  compared to those taking blood pressure medication with no aspirin. This is a significant finding! Aspirin takers also had fewer strokes. 

 What are the downsides? Definitely, increased bleeding since aspirin tends to thin the blood. While the Lancet study did not report an increase in bleeding fatalities among the aspirin takers compared to the non-aspirin takers, the subjects did report more nosebleeds and gastrointestinal bleeding.

 Finally, in 1998, the Food and Drug Administration acknowledged that taking an aspirin after a suspected heart attack can definitely reduce the risk of death. 

 As always, any recommendations for taking any medication, even over the counter aspirin, should always be discussed with a fully qualified medical doctor. This is particularly true if you are taking other medications. Modern medications are complicated and unsuspected problems can occur when medications are mixed.

 So, be careful and wise, but understand that help be closer and easier than we have thought in the past.

Janelle M. Barlow, Ph.D. 
Author of The Stress Manager

Previous "Stress Management Corner" pages:
 

#1	New Approaches to Job Stress
#2	If Exercise Works as a Cure...
#3	Headaches! The Most Common Complaint
#4	Eight Glasses a Day!
#5	How Well Does Zinc Work?
#6	Intense Emotions Can Kill You
#7	Sleep!
#8	Job Stress and Compensation Claims
#9	Job-Related Stress
#10	Losing Weight - It's Not Easy!
#11	Food Supplements - How Necessary?
#12	Stress and Change
#13	Depression Among the Elderly
#14	Spirituality and Your Health
#15	It's Cold Season Again!
#16	A Positive Attitude is Important
#17	Power of Laughter
#18	More Laughter and Stress Management
#19	Go for a Massage!

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