Introduction

Aspirin is a common over-the-counter NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) with multiple medicinal uses. Aspirin can be used as painkillers to relieve mild to moderate pain including headaches, muscle pain, and rheumatic disorders. It can also relieve fever. It is used for its antiplatelet properties to reduce risks of cardiovascular events such as stroke. It can be taken orally as tablets or given through the rectum by suppository. 

Common side effects

Gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhoea, headache, drowsiness, insomnia, anaemia, rash, bleeding or bruising more easily

Precautions

• Take with or after food to reduce gastric irritation
• Children under 16 should use aspirin with caution due to the risk of developing Reye’s syndrome (a rare disease affecting the liver and brain)
• Aspirin should be stopped several days before scheduled surgical procedures
• Symptoms of overdose include nausea, dizziness, hyperventilation, restlessness, and confusion. Please seek medical attention immediately if symptoms arise.

Who cannot take

• People with acute or history of gastrointestinal ulcers 
• People with severe liver or renal failure
• People with bleeding disorders
• People with a history of asthma after taking NSAIDs

Cautions with other medicine/food

• Other NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, indomethacin
• Anticoagulants such as dabigatran, fondaparinux, heparin, warfarin
• Methotrexate (chemotherapy agent)

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

First and Second Trimester: 

Category C: Either studies in animals have revealed adverse effects on the foetus (teratogenic or embryocidal or other) and there are no controlled studies in women or studies in women and animals are not available. Drugs should be given only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the foetus.

Third Trimester and breastfeeding: 

Category D: There is positive evidence of human foetal risk, but the benefits from use in pregnant women may be acceptable despite the risk (e.g., if the drug is needed in a life-threatening situation or for a serious disease for which safer drugs cannot be used or are ineffective). 

簡介

阿士匹靈 是一種常見的非處方藥，具有多種用途。阿士匹靈可用作止痛藥，減輕輕度至中度的疼痛，包括頭痛，肌肉痛和風濕病，同時亦有退燒之效。此藥也可用作抗血小板藥以預防心血管事件（如中風）。阿士匹林可以口服或用作塞劑。

常見副作用

腸胃不適，腹瀉，頭痛，嗜睡，失眠，貧血，皮疹，易出血或淤青

注意事項

• 飯後服用可以減少對腸胃的刺激
• 十六歲以下的人士應儘量避免服用，以免增加患上雷伊士綜合症（一種會影響腦部和肝的罕見疾病）的機會
• 在外科手術前幾天應停用阿士匹靈
• 服用過量的癥狀包括噁心，頭暈，換氣過度，躁動不安和神志不清。如果出現癥狀，請立即就醫

不可服用的人士

• 患有胃潰瘍的人
• 患有肝衰竭或腎衰竭的人
• 患有出血性疾病的人
• 服用NSAIDs（非類固醇消炎藥）後曾經出現哮喘的人

一同服用時需要注意的藥物／食物

• 其他非類固醇類消炎止痛藥 (Ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, indomethacin)
• 薄血藥， 如 dabigatran, fondaparinux, heparin, warfarin
• Methotrexate （化療藥）

懷孕及哺乳

懷孕第1-27週:

C: 動物試驗顯示對胚胎有不良作用，但缺乏針對人類懷孕婦女妥善設計且有對照組的研究，或針對動物或人類懷孕婦女，目前缺乏妥善設計且有對照組的研究，可證明此藥物的危險性。

懷孕第28週後:

D：針對孕婦的控制實驗或觀察研究中，已證實此藥對胎兒有危險性。但在考量利弊得失下，此藥對於治療的利益可能大於潛在的危險性。