What is the mechanism of action of aspirin?
Aspirin is non-selective and irreversibly inhibits both forms (but is weakly more selective for COX-1). It does so by acetylating the hydroxyl of a serine residue. Normally COX produces prostaglandins, most of which are pro-inflammatory, and thromboxanes, which promote clotting.
How does aspirin reduce blood clots?
Aspirin reduces the stickiness of platelets, and this helps prevent the platelets from sticking to the inside of an artery and forming a thrombus. This reduces the risk of you having a heart attack or stroke.
How is aspirin excreted?
Excretion from the body is mainly through the kidney. Alkaline urine speeds up the excretion of aspirin. It takes about 48 hours to excrete an aspirin completely. The half-life of aspirin in the blood stream is 13-19 minutes and the half-life of its metabolite salicylate is around 3.5-4.5 hours.
How does aspirin act inside the body?
Aspirin works to prevent the platelets in your blood from clumping and clotting in your arteries, thereby reducing these risks by improving blood flow to your heart and brain. Aspirin is the only OTC pain reliever known to have these lifesaving benefits.
Is aspirin a blood thinner or anticoagulant?
There are different types of blood thinners: Anticoagulants, such as heparin or warfarin (also called Coumadin), slow down your body’s process of making clots. Antiplatelets, such as aspirin and clopidogrel, prevent blood cells called platelets from clumping together to form a clot.
What is aspirin used for?
Aspirin is used to reduce fever and relieve mild to moderate pain from conditions such as muscle aches, toothaches, common cold, and headaches. It may also be used to reduce pain and swelling in conditions such as arthritis. Aspirin is known as a salicylate and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
Does aspirin decrease platelet aggregation?
It seems that resistance to aspirin may be associated with an increase of arterial thrombotic events in spite of chronic intake. In ex vivo assays using aggregometry, with sodium arachidonate as agonist, aspirin inhibits platelet aggregation irreversibly in most people.
What is the distribution of aspirin?
The volume of distribution is 0.1–0.2 L/kg. Acidosis increases the volume of distribution because of enhancement of tissue penetration of salicylates.