Patient/caregiver was educated on the side-effects of using aspirin as follows:
General allergic reactions
- Aspirin use can result in general allergic reactions, such as, skin rashes, hives, and itching.
- Some patients can present with symptoms of severe allergic and anaphylactic response with aspirin, such as, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, throat, and tongue, with consequent difficulty breathing. Seek emergency medical help for such findings, especially with difficulty breathing, for any appropriate measures to be considered.
Respiratory side-effects
- Patients with inherent allergy to aspirin, upon intake of aspirin, can sometimes present with breathing difficulties, such as, exacerbation of episodes of shortness of breath, nasal discharge, and obstruction to the nasal passage due to growth of nasal polyps.
- Individuals with history of breathing disorders, such as, asthma and COPD, secondary to aspirin intake, can sometimes be at increased risk for presentation with exacerbation of episodes of SOB and severe debility due to respiratory arrest.
Genitourinary side-effects
- Prostaglandins, by dilating the blood vessels in the kidneys, helps with improving blood flow to the kidneys. Improved renal blood flow promotes glomerular filtration and consequently, result in improved overall renal function.
- Aspirin, by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis in the body, can compromise blood flow to the kidneys, thus significantly increasing the risk for progressive kidney damage and renal failure.
- Individuals with compromised renal function can present with progressively diminishing urine volume. Also, individuals can present with altered levels of consciousness, increased frequency of episodes of dizziness and confusion, secondary to impaired elimination of body wastes in urine and consequent increased accumulation.
