How quickly does aspirin thin blood?
Aspirin has a blood-thinning effect by inhibiting platelet aggregation. This effect starts quite fast after taking aspirin. Taking aspirin orally significantly inhibits platelet aggregation 15 minutes after intake [1].
However, the time it takes aspirin to start working on the platelet is slower when the aspirin dose is lower than the full dose [2].
Therefore, the actual time that aspirin needs to start acting on the blood depends mostly on the dose you take.
What is the normal dose of aspirin?
The regular dose of aspirin is typically 325 mg. It is the dose that you can take for pain or inflammation [3, 4].
More than one-third of all the prescribed doses of aspirin are of this size [5].
It is the most frequently prescribed aspirin dose in the United States. More than half of all aspirin treatments consist of baby aspirin [5, 3].
However, you should consult a doctor for a specific dose of aspirin for your health problem. Everyone is different, and some people need to take higher doses for conditions that normally require a smaller amount of aspirin.
What is aspirin?
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid, was introduced more than 100 years ago and has been widely used since then [6, 7].
Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that acts against pain, inflammation, and fever [8, 9].
The medication is a potent antiplatelet agent. This property is used to treat and prevent strokes, heart attacks, and angina [8, 9].
Additionally, studies have indicated chemoprophylactic and new antiviral properties of aspirin [10, 11].
One of the biggest dangers of aspirin is an increased risk of internal bleeding [12].
How does aspirin work?
The main mechanism of aspirin is the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by suppressing the cyclooxygenase enzymes 1 and 2 (COX-1/2) [7, 13].
The irreversible inhibition of this enzyme prevents the production of thromboxane A2, which normally promotes platelet aggregation [14, 15].
The blocking of the COX-1/2 activity also leads to an increase in the use of arachidonic acids in the lipoxygenase pathway. This shift results in higher production of lipoxins, which are inflammation-reducing compounds [15].
What are the indications for aspirin?
Aspirin has a wide range of indications. Among them are @ fever and pains like headaches, menstrual aches, muscle aches [16, 15],
- angina pectoris [15],
- high risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events [17, 18],
- rheumatoid arthritis [15],
- ankylosing spondylitis [15],
- Kawasaki disease [18],
- risk of preeclampsia [19],
- systemic lupus erythematosus [15].
What are the side effects of aspirin?
As with many medications, aspirin can also cause side effects in some people. Among the adverse reaction it can cause are @ stomach pain [9],
- gastrointestinal bleeding [15],
- gastritis [15],
- allergic reactions, like rashes or more severe anaphylaxis [15],
- confusion [9],
- ear ringing [9],
- fast breathing [9],
- seizures [9],
- nausea and vomiting [9],
- mild headaches [9],
- heartburn [9].