Aspirin
Also sold as: Disprin, Ecosprin
Usual adult dose
For pain or fever: 300 to 900 mg every 4 to 6 hours with food; no more than 4 g in 24 hours. For heart protection: 75 to 100 mg once a day, only if your doctor advises it. Do not give to children under 16.
Your doctor may give you a different dose. Children's doses depend on weight.
Side effects
Common
- stomach upset
- heartburn
- nausea
- easy bruising
Serious — get help
Stop taking it and see a doctor straight away if you notice:
- black or bloody stools
- vomiting blood
- ringing in the ears
- severe allergic reaction or wheezing
Do not take it, or take care, if
- Children and teenagers under 16 (risk of Reye syndrome)
- Stomach ulcer or bleeding disorder
- Asthma that gets worse with aspirin
- Last 3 months of pregnancy
- Taking blood thinners such as warfarin (only if your doctor advises)
Interactions
Medicines that can react with this one.
Serious5 medicinesDo not take these together unless your doctor says so.
- Apixaban
Together they greatly raise the risk of serious bleeding.
- Ketorolac
Do not combine with other NSAIDs; stomach bleeding and kidney risk rise sharply.
- Methotrexate
Aspirin can raise methotrexate levels and cause serious toxicity.
- Rivaroxaban
Together they greatly raise the risk of serious bleeding.
- Warfarin
Greatly raises the risk of bleeding; use together only under a doctor.
Moderate7 medicinesTake together only with care. Ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- Clopidogrel
Often used together on purpose, but bleeding risk is higher; only as prescribed.
- Enoxaparin
Together they raise the risk of bleeding.
- Heparin
Together they raise the risk of bleeding.
- Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen can block the heart-protecting effect of low-dose aspirin and adds to stomach bleeding risk.
- Prednisolone
Steroids with aspirin raise the risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding.
- Sertraline
The combination increases the risk of stomach bleeding.
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- Sodium valproate
Aspirin raises free valproate levels and the risk of bleeding.