Drug of the day #3 Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid)

 

💊 Drug of the Day – Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid)

🔹 Introduction

Aspirin is one of the oldest and most widely used drugs in medicine. It belongs to the NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug) class and is known for its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties.

Additionally, it plays a key role in cardioprotection by preventing blood clots

IUPAC Name: 2-acetoxybenzoic acid

📌 Category

• Analgesic (Pain reliever)

• Antipyretic (Fever reducer)

• Anti-inflammatory

• Antiplatelet (Blood thinner)

⚕️ Therapeutic Uses

✔️ Headache, body pain, and fever

✔️ Inflammatory conditions like arthritis

✔️ Prevention of heart attack & stroke (low-dose aspirin)

✔️ Post-surgical blood clot prevention

💊 Dosage

• Analgesic/Antipyretic: 325–650 mg every 4–6 hours (Adults)

• Cardioprotective: 75–150 mg daily (Low dose)

⚠️ Side Effects

❌ Gastric irritation, ulcers, acidity

❌ Increased risk of bleeding

❌ Not recommended in children (Reye’s Syndrome risk)

🧪 Fun Fact

Aspirin is derived from salicylic acid, which was originally extracted from the willow tree bark 🌿.

It is sometimes called the “wonder drug” because of its multiple benefits.

📊 Quick Drug Card (for Infographic / Blog Summary)

• Drug: Aspirin

• Class: NSAID

• Uses: Pain, fever, inflammation, heart protection

• Dose: 325–650 mg (analgesic), 75–150 mg (cardio)

• Side Effects: Ulcers, bleeding, gastric upset