Well, it sorta is, it sorta isn't. Yes, it does everything the NSAIDs do including the toxicities. However, aspirin has one added bonus. It irreversibly inhibits platelet aggregation. Translation: your blood is a hair thinner on aspirin, less likely to clot by a small amount. This small amount explains aspirin's proven ability to reduce heart attacks, which are acute blood clots in the coronary arteries feeding the heart itself. All the other NSAIDs don't do this. In fact, they block aspirin from doing its beneficial job. I read recently that taking aspirin 2 hours before any subsequent NSAID supposedly gets the benefits of the aspirin and avoids the benefit being blocked by an NSAID like ibuprofen. Whether this in fact works, I dunno. But for people who must take both, that is the advice I read based on some scientific reasoning and observations. -- Josh Steinberg MD, Syracuse
Continuous use of any painkiller or drug can have side-effects. Aspirin has been recently indicted for serious intestine damage and anemia: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/99/105087.htm Every other painkiller has a significant long-term side-effect.
Continuous use of any painkiller or drug can have side-effects. Aspirin has been recently indicted for serious intestine damage and anemia: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/99/105087.htm Every other painkiller has a significant long-term side-effect.
Interestingly, among those links is an article that notes in addition to potential stomach and kidney damage, NSAIDs may also cause a loss of cartilage, not a good thing for runners...
