Personal Project (Effects of Asprin) 6.12.10

1) The actual tasks you completed: I researched aspirin. I wanted to understand why it is recommended to take. I also wanted to get an idea of how much to take and the benefits of taking aspirin, along with the side effects.

2) The progress you made toward your desired outcome(s): This was good for the purpose in knowing that if I were helping somebody who has high blood pressure, heart disease, has had a heart attack or is at high risk of having a heart attack, I can understand what other preventive care they are taking and the effects that maybe having on their body while working out or just their over all wellness.

3) The lessons you learned: I learned that aspirin can:
 Prevent a first and second heart attack
 Reduce heart disease risk
For women younger than 65, aspirin can:
 Prevent a first stroke
 Prevent a second heart attack
 Reduce heart disease risk
For women 65 and older, aspirin can:
 Prevent a first and second heart attack
 Prevent a first stroke
 Reduce heart disease risk
The risk of bleeding with daily aspirin therapy, however, is about the same in both sexes.
Should you take a daily aspirin?
Whether you need daily aspirin therapy depends on your risk of heart disease and stroke. Risk factors for a heart attack or stroke include:
 Smoking tobacco
 High blood pressure — a systolic pressure of 140 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher or a diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher
 Total cholesterol level of 240 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) — 6.22 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) — or higher
 Low-density lipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol level of 130 mg/dL (3.37 mmol/L) or higher
 Lack of exercise
 Diabetes
 Stress
 Having more than two alcoholic drinks a day for men, one drink a day for women
 Family history of a stroke or heart attack
If you've had a heart attack or stroke, chances are your doctor has talked to you about taking aspirin to prevent a second occurrence.
If you have strong risk factors, but have not had a heart attack or stroke, you may also benefit from taking an aspirin every day. First, you'll want to discuss with your doctor whether you have any conditions that make taking aspirin dangerous for you.
Should you avoid daily aspirin therapy if you have another health condition?
You shouldn't take a daily aspirin if you have some health conditions that could increase your risk of bleeding or other complications. These conditions include:
 A bleeding or clotting disorder (bleeding easily)
 Asthma
 Stomach ulcers
 Heart failure

You do not need to take a regular size aspirin. In fact you shouldn't because most likely the side effects of stomach and intestine problems would probably out weigh other possible conditions you could have or develop without taking aspirin. Very low doses of aspirin — 75 milligrams (mg), which is less than a standard baby aspirin — can be effective.

The benefits of aspirin go beyond the cardiovascular system. There is solid evidence that aspirin slows the progression of colon cancer, and some preliminary data suggests that regular aspirin use may prevent certain cancers from occurring at all," says Fendrick. "Also population-based studies report that an aspirin a day will either slow the progression or even prevent dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease," he continues.