Aspirin Therapy for people with diabetes
Can an aspirin a day keep complications away?
Probably. The American Diabetes Association has concluded that low-dose aspirin therapy may be helpful, not only in patients with diabetes who have had heart attacks, but also in patients with diabetes who are at high risk for future heart and artery disease. This includes both men and women with a family history of heart disease, or who smoke, have high blood pressure, or are obese, to name a few important risk factors.
Exactly why aspirin works is not completely understood, but it may be because it helps keep red blood cells from clumping together. These cells seem to clump together more readily in people with diabetes.
Taking aspirin, however, is not without risk. It can cause stomach and intestinal bleeding. That's why people with bleeding ulcers shouldn't take aspirin.
However, this risk is greatly reduced if you take enteric-coated aspirin of 81-325 mg a day. In fact, the lower dose (81 mg) of enteric-coated aspirin has been shown to be just as effective as higher doses in preventing blood cells from clumping.
Discuss the use of aspirin with your doctor to make sure it's safe for you.
Down load The Association's Clinical Practice Recommendation for Asprin Therapy (PDF) to learn more about asprin therapy and diabetes.
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