Does Aspirin Protect Against Several Diseases?

By Dr. W. Gifford Jones

It appears that with each passing year acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), commonly referred to as Aspirin, has found another important use in medicine. But what is fact and what is still questionable?

Today thousands of people over 60 years of age are taking ASA daily to prevent heart attack. Others use it who have already suffered a coronary attack, or following by©pass surgery, angioplasty or suffer from the pain of angina.

Aspirin decreases the risk of heart attack by keeping the blood well©oiled and less likely to form a fatal blood clot. There's little doubt that it's one of the greatest therapeutic bargains of all time.

Recent studies also suggest that lower doses of ASA (75mg) a day may be as effective as larger doses in treating these conditions.

The American Heart Association reports that doctors should consider advising ASA for middle©aged people with a family history of heart disease. Or for those with high risk factors such as being 20 percent overweight, smoking, a high cholesterol, hypertension and lack of exercise.

Can ASA be of help in preventing cancer? Several studies suggest that this may be the case.

For instance, a report in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine suggests that long©term use of ASA can decrease the risk of large bowel malignancy.

Research revealed that nurses who took two or more aspirins weekly for up to 19 years had the same risk of colon cancer as those who did not take ASA.

But researchers were amazed to find that as time passed the benefits increased dramatically.

After 20 years of use there was a 44 per cent decrease in colon cancer for those taking two or more aspirins a week. And the greatest benefit was for those who took four to six aspirins a week. But no one knows why it takes so long to cause this effect.

Studies also show that people who take ASA for a variety of chronic illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis have 30 to 40 percent lower risk of stomach, colon and rectal cancer. Ô 0*0*0* Dr David Schapira, Director of Louisiana State University Medical Center, suggests that Aspirin may also decrease the severity of breast cancer.

He reports less lymph node involvement and smaller tumours in women who took non©steroidal anti©inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Aspirin.

Other researchers discovered that when mice with breast cancer were given NSAIDS metastases were prevented in 90 percent of the animals.

How does ASA work? Aspirin and other NSAIDS interfere with the production of prostaglandins. These are complex substances produced by our cells which have an effect on cell proliferation. ASA by having an inhibitory effect on prostaglandins may slow cancer growth.

So how important is it to take ASA on a regular basis? Many doctors believe ASA is beneficial in either preventing or treating cardiovascular problems.

It's much too early to know whether ASA should be used in the hope it can prevent large bowel or breast malignancies.

But in all these situations, never use long©term ASA without consulting your doctor. Prostaglandins help to protect the stomach lining and ASA neutralizes this effect. This can result in heartburn, nausea and at times serious bleeding due to continued irritation of the stomach's lining.

Patients can decrease the effect of ASA on the stomach's lining by taking it with a glass of water. And using enteric©coated tablets that help to prevent irritation of the stomach by delaying the absorption of ASA until it reaches the small bowel.

The best prevention for colon cancer is still a high fiber diet such as Kellogg's high fiber cereals, a low fat diet and regular screening examinations.

W. Gifford-Jones M.D is the pen name of Dr. Ken Walker graduate of Harvard. Dr. Walker's website is: Docgiff.com

My book, �90 + How I Got There� can be obtained by sending $19.95 to:

Giff Holdings, 525 Balliol St, Unit # 6,Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1E1

Pre-2008 articles by Gifford Jones

Canada Free Press, CFP Editor Judi McLeod