Aspirin is probably one of the oldest and still most used drugs, being invented back in 1763. At first, the active substance of the drug, salicylic acid, was extracted from the bark of the willow tree. But in recent times, this substance is easily synthesized in laboratories. We all use it to reduce fever, mild pains, and inflammations, but the drug has many other extended uses. Just check this out if you want to know what is aspirin used for. Still, among the uses of aspirin, lies its protection towards our heart. But is it really so? Why is aspirin considered to be so good for our heart? Here are some details about the matter.

It is said that one aspirin taken every day can prevent heart attacks. To understand how this works, we need to look at what causes heart attacks. In most cases, they are caused by blood clots, which clog the blood vessels and stop the organ’s alimentation with blood. Aspiring can help because it prevents the formation of these clots, allowing a constant blood flow towards and from the heart, keeping strokes away. So should everyone take one aspirin every day? Well, this depends on the health issue someone has, so it is not recommended to start such treatment on your own. Yes, aspirin can prevent strokes, but only in the cases of persons that are already highly exposed to suffering a stroke or for the ones that already had a stroke. If you don’t have heart problems, aspirin may not be the best treatment for you.

Aspiring dissolved blood clots, but it can also lead to stomach bleeding. If you know you have a sensitive digestive system, it is best to avoid using aspirin. Of course, there is no need to panic, because there are some minor bleedings in the stomach and intestines that stop by themselves. Still, there are also the severe cases in which these bleedings can be life threatening. So, having all these in mind, who is can beneficiate from aspiring treatment? As mentioned before, the persons that already suffered a heart attack or stroke will most probably take a daily aspirin, at doctor’s recommendation. Persons that did not suffer from this problems, but have other heart issues, like a bypass surgery, a stent placed in a coronary artery, or if you suffer from angina, chest pain due to a coronary artery illness. Persons that face a high risk of heart attacks and strokes are smokers, have high blood pressure, and are older than 50 years old, which are factors that can contribute to the apparition of a stroke, can benefit from aspirin.

But again, it is best to see a doctor first, to see if you can indeed benefit from the good parts of taking aspirin. Your heart needs to be checked, and so does your stomach and intestines. Plus a series of other medical tests, to make sure that aspirin will not harm you. Self-medication is never a good idea, even if it can bring a lot of benefits and keep us safe.