Medication Information Leaflet
Aspirin (also known as Acetylsalicylic acid) is used to prevent blood clots from forming by making the blood less ‘sticky’. By preventing blood clots, this reduces the risk of you having a heart attack or stroke.
You may be given Aspirin if you have a blockage in your blood vessels or after heart surgery.
Aspirin can also be prescribed after Kawasaki disease (a condition whereby there is inflammation in the blood vessels) for four to six weeks, or longer if your doctor feels that it is necessary due to any abnormalities of the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood, oxygen and nutrients.
Aspirin may also be used at higher doses to relieve pain and fever or for anti-inflammatory purposes. Inform your healthcare professional if you wish to consume Aspirin to relieve pain or fever.
Aspirin may be started during pregnancy in certain women to prevent the development of pre-eclampsia, a serious condition that usually presents as high blood pressure with or without protein in the urine. Aspirin is normally taken at night for this purpose.
If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only the usual dose. Do not double your dose or use extra medication to make up for the missed dose.
Inform your healthcare professional if:
Side effects of Aspirin may include:
Inform your healthcare professional if these side effects do not go away and are bothersome to you.
Patients taking Aspirin may have increased risk of bleeding. If you experience any serious bleeding, you should stop your medication and inform your healthcare professional immediately. Serious bleeding may include one or more of the following:
Aspirin may also cause allergic reactions. The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.
Very rarely, Aspirin may cause Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious condition that affects the brain and liver in young children. However, this has only been mostly seen in children less than 5 years of age, who have had a viral illness (chickenpox or flu) or are on prolonged, high-dose Aspirin. Symptoms of Reye’s syndrome include:
See your doctor immediately if you (or your child) experience these symptoms.
Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children. Throw away all expired medications.
Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.
If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.
This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.
Last updated on July 2019
This article was last reviewed on Tuesday, December 27, 2022