Aspirin, taken in low dose, thins the blood. It does this by interfering with the blood’s clotting action. Because of this action it is recommended by doctors to help prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Only take daily low-dose aspirin if your doctor recommends it.

Key Facts

• Daily low-dose aspirin thins the blood to help prevent heart attacks and stroke

• The usual dose is 75mg to 150mg once a day, sometimes higher

• It is best to take low-dose aspirin with food to reduce the chance of upsetting your stomach

• Like all medicines, it isn’t safe for everyone and can have side effects, so, only take low-dose aspirin if your doctor recommends it

Side Effects

Common side effects of aspirin happen in more than 1 in 100 people.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if the side effects bother you or don’t go away:

• mild indigestion

• bleeding more easily than normal – because aspirin thins your blood, it can sometimes make you bleed more easily. For example, you may get nosebleeds and bruise more easily, and if you cut yourself, the bleeding may take longer than normal to stop.

Serious side effects happen rarely. Call a doctor straight away if you get:

• red, blistered and peeling skin

• coughing up blood or blood in your pee, poo or vomit

• yellow skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow; as this can be a sign of liver problems

• painful joints in the hands and feet; as this can be a sign of high levels of uric acid in the blood

• swollen hands or feet; as this can be a sign of water retention

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it is possible to have a serious allergic reaction to aspirin.

Call 000 and Seek Urgent Medical Attention.

Pregnancy and low-dose aspirin

It’s generally safe to take low-dose aspirin during pregnancy, as long as your doctor has said it is OK.

Your doctor may advise you to take low-dose aspirin during pregnancy:

• to help prevent heart attack and stroke

• to help prevent pre-eclampsia (pregnancy-related high blood pressure)

• if you’re having fertility treatment

• if you have had several previous miscarriages

Breastfeeding and low-dose aspirin

Aspirin is not generally recommended while you’re breastfeeding.

But your doctor may suggest that you take low-dose aspirin while you’re breastfeeding if they think the benefits of the medicine outweigh the possible harm.

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines interfere with the way aspirin works.

Tell your doctor if you’re taking these medicines before you start taking aspirin:

• medicines to thin blood or prevent blood clots, such as clopidogrel and warfarin – taking them with aspirin might cause bleeding problems

• medicines for pain and inflammation, such as ibuprofen and prednisolone

• medicines to prevent organ rejection after a transplant, such as ciclosporin and tacrolimus

• medicines to treat high blood pressure, such as frusemide and ramipril

• digoxin, a medicine for heart problems

• lithium, a medicine for mental health problems

• acetazolamide, for an eye problem called glaucoma

• methotrexate, a medicine used to stop the immune system overreacting and sometimes to treat some types of cancer

• diabetes medicines, such as insulin and gliclazide

• Paracetamol is usually safe to take with Low Dose Aspirin