Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking aspirin as follows:
- Check with your physician before taking any other OTC NSAIDs, while taking aspirin. Taking aspirin along with other NSAIDs, such as, Advil and Aleve, can increase the risk for progressive damage to renal function. Also, overdose of NSAIDs can exacerbate the risk for gastric upset caused by aspirin and increase the chances for irritation of stomach lining and formation of gastric ulcers.
- Aspirin can also interact with other blood thinners, such as, warfarin, thus significantly increasing the risk for bleeding. Aspirin intake, along with other blood thinners, can result in extreme thinning of blood with uncontrolled bleeding episodes, even on slightest injuries. So, avoid taking aspirin with other blood thinners.
- Patients taking aspirin for blood thinning, secondary to being on a low dose, can occasionally present with signs and symptoms of clot formation, such as, sudden pain in the limbs, episode of sudden cough and shortness of breath, and chest pain. Watch out closely for any such signs of clot formation and report to your doctor immediately, so that, a change in plan of care or dose of aspirin could be considered.
- 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, progressively compromised endurance, and severe debility. Report to your doctor immediately regarding any of these findings, so that, a change in plan of care could be considered.
