Safety Alert: Aspirin
Recommendations for Antiplatelet Therapy (Aspirin, Clopidogrel, or Ticlopdipine)
The American College of Cardiology Foundation recently published recommendations for antiplatelet therapy with aspirin, clopidigrel (Plavix), or ticlopdipine (Ticlid) for the prevention of heart attack or stroke. Antiplatelet medication helps stop platelets from sticking together and causing clots. Taking antiplatelet medication is associated with gastrointestinal complications such as ulcers and bleeding, and the risk of these complications is related to the dose - the higher the dose the greater the risk of complications.
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What does this mean?
If you are taking aspirin, you should speak with your doctor about your dose and make sure you are getting the most benefit from the aspirin while minimizing your risks of ulcers and bleeding. If you are taking aspirin together with another antiplatelet medication, such as clopidogrel (Plavix) or ticlodipine (Ticlid), you should talk to your doctor to make sure the benefits outweigh the risks for taking these two medications together.
