Buzz
While the heart is undoubtedly the most vital muscle in our body, it may seem like a clever marketing tactic by Bayer to claim that a simple aspirin tablet could be beneficial when this life-essential organ begins to fail. But it's true: aside from calling 911 immediately, taking aspirin is one of your best chances to survive a heart attack. As Ben Affleck famously said in a shampoo commercial, here comes the science.
Our blood contains platelets – disc-shaped cells that gather together to form a clot. These blood clots are essential: when you injure yourself, whether from a shaving cut or bumping your nose into someone’s fist, your body detects the damage to a blood vessel and sends platelets to the scene to stop the bleeding.
However, sometimes platelets make a mistake and rush to seal an undamaged vessel. During a heart attack, it's typically a ruptured plaque (a build-up of cholesterol-rich substances) that clings to a vessel wall. Even though there’s no actual bleeding, the rupture draws the platelets, and they build their usual blood-blocking barrier. This results in the clot obstructing a healthy vein, depriving the heart of oxygen-rich blood, and causing part of the muscle to die. The outcome: heart attack.
Reducing Platelet Stickiness
In addition to its ability to reduce fever and relieve pain, aspirin also plays a role in inhibiting platelets in the blood. It effectively makes these platelets less prone to sticking together and forming clumps. Moderation is key, though – excessive aspirin can lead to stomach upset and uncontrolled bleeding. This is why taking one baby aspirin (81 mg) daily has been found to be the ideal dose, allowing the blood to flow smoothly without unwanted side effects.
Rosie O'Donnell has credited aspirin with saving her life during her recent heart issue. Interestingly, my father had a heart attack in 1990, and his symptoms closely mirrored those of O'Donnell's. She had been helping an overweight woman out of her car one day when she noticed aching in her arms and mild chest discomfort later. My father also felt arm discomfort one evening and slight chest tightness but dismissed it as a result of repairing the doorbell earlier and holding his arms overhead. Neither of them experienced the classic 'elephant on the chest' sensation or major left-arm pain. In both cases, the daily baby aspirin regimen played a critical role in their recovery. My father later needed a quintuple bypass after surgery, and his doctor credited the aspirin with saving his life.
The takeaway: If you're over 35, talk to your doctor about aspirin. If you experience any unusual pain or discomfort in your arms, chest, or jaw, don’t hesitate – head to the emergency room right away.
