Aspirin also recognized as Acetyl Salicylic acid (ASA) is a drug which’s broadly utilized to treat mild fever, flu, moderate pain or inflammation. Aspirin is commercially available for oral use in tablet form with different labels. It’s a derivative of Salicylate, which can be dug up in few plants like Willow tree and Myrtle.
Aspirin in this structure exists for over and above 100 years and yet one of the most widely used medication in the world – estimated that about 40,000 metric ton of aspirin is consumed annually.
The drug has additionally become increasingly famed as anti-platelet – used to prevent the binding of platelets, which lead to blood clot formation. Nowadays, aspirin is also given to the patients immediately after Heart attack to prevent Cardiac tissue death and to reduce the chances of clot progression leading to the heart attacks.
Additionally, it lowers the risk of different heart diseases and prevents ischemic strokes. The drug also reduces the risk of Kidney failure after heart surgery.
A new study found that the cancer patients who take aspirin regularly may increase their survival rate as compare to those who don’t. Aspirin can “Double life expectancy in cancer patients”.
After analyzing 14,000 cancer patients in Netherlands, it was found that the patients with regular use of Aspirin were twice likely to survive after four years period. According to the researchers, the impact of aspirin on survival, observed after adjusting these factors such as gender, age, stage of cancer, treatments and other medical conditions.
According to this study the most common tumour site in these patients was the Gastro Intestinal Tract (GIT) cancer which includes colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, and stomach cancer.
The coordinator Dr. Martine Frouws from Leiden University in Netherlands – presented his latest study at the European Congress-2015 which said:
“Through studying the characteristics of tumor in patients where aspirin was beneficial, we will be able to identify that, which kind of patients can get benefit from such treatment in future. Given that aspirin is a cheap, off-patent drug with relatively few side effects”.
Researchers are planning to expand the study and hope to provide “Persuading proof” that more patients of different types of cancer can also benefit from aspirin treatment which can be affordable for everyone.
However, doctors recommend that while buying aspirin carefully read its composition. There are few brands in market in which Aspirin is amalgamated with other pain relievers which will not give the expected results.
WARNING: Aspirin is not recommended for the patients of Asthma, Peptic ulcer, and Liver or Kidney problems and do not start taking daily aspirin before consulting your doctor.
