Many doctors recommend a daily aspirin to patients who are at a high risk of heart attack. Now, daily aspirin has been tied to a lower risk of some digestive cancers. Should you be taking this over-the-counter med? Only your doctor knows for sure, and sometimes even they don’t make the right recommendation, which leads to a medication error.
Benefits of Daily Aspirin Use
Regular aspirin use has been associated with a reduced risk for the following cancers: colon, rectal, pancreatic, liver, stomach, gallbladder, and esophageal. A review of a collection of studies has found that aspirin may also reduce the risk of cancer for several other digestive tract cancers too.
Researchers gathered data from 113 studies and discovered that, among people ages 40 to 75 who take a daily aspirin, there was a significant reduced risk of various cancers, including:
- Colorectal cancer (27%)
- Stomach cancer (36%)
- Esophageal cancer (33%)
- Liver and gallbladder cancer (38%)
- Pancreatic cancer (22%)
According to the analysis, published in The Annals of Oncology, the favorable effect of the aspirin apparently increased with the duration of use. The research also gathered that aspirin had no effect on the risk factors for head and neck cancers.
The Right Aspirin Dosage
Popping an over-the-counter baby aspirin doesn’t seem to be enough to have these effects, according to the research. Dosage may be significant depending on the condition a person is fighting or trying to avoid developing.
For example, a low dose of aspirin of 75 to 100 milligrams a day lowered the risk for colorectal cancer by 10%. The regular 325 milligrams of aspirin had a 35% reduction. And the risk dropped by have with 500 milligrams of daily aspirin.
No one should ever take a daily regimen of aspirin simply because they’ve read it could be helpful. This treatment should only be sanctioned by a doctor after your current health, family history, and risk factors have been thoroughly evaluated.
Medication Errors and Daily Aspirin
While aspirin has some health benefits, what isn’t always noted is that healthy older people who take this drug every day may see more risk than benefit. In some people, daily aspirin use can cause life-threatening bleeding. For other people, aspirin could irritate the stomach and esophagus, increasing their already elevated risk of developing cancer.
Baby aspirin is often touted as a cure-all and a way to stop a heart attack in its tracks. This treatment, though, is not to be used lightly. Medication errors can and do occur. If you’re trying to prevent an illness from developing in your body, another may develop instead because of the aspirin. Your doctor should know how to weigh the risks and benefits so you take the right medicine for your unique health.
If you have developed a health condition or suffered a health emergency because of a medication error involving aspirin or any other drug, you could have a medical malpractice case. Contact the Michigan personal injury attorneys at Thurswell Law to get the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation by calling (248) 354-2222 today. We do not charge any fees until we win.
