"THE HEART OF THE MATTER"
a special program of the National Emergency Medicine Association (NEMA)
Week: 600.3
Guest: Dr. Raymond Woosley, Georgetown School of Medicine
Topic: Why aspirin helps prevent heart attacks
Host/Producer: Steve Girard
NEMA: How aspirin helps prevent heart attacks...coming up...
SPOT: NEMA...the National Emergency Medicine Association...fights our worst health enemies - heart disease, stroke, trauma. Call 800-332-6362.
NEMA: Dr. Raymond Woosley of Georgetown School of Medicine on aspirin and its use against heart attacks...
WOOSLEY: It was only in the 50’s and 60’s that we recognized that high doses of aspirin could cause bleeding, and could cause ulcers to activate serious bleeding problems.
NEMA: And Dr. Woosley says researchers made the association that aspirin thinned the blood, and that heart attacks and strokes are caused by blood clots...
WOOSLEY: If you’ve got a blood vessel in the heart...it’s carrying blood to feed your heart...and it has a rough area...platelets can stick to that and cause a blockage and heart attack. The aspirin can, in low doses, can prevent the platelets from sticking together, and therefore you can prevent the clots that cause heart attacks.
NEMA: The American Heart Association is now recommending that if you’ve survived a heart attack, and you feel a new attack is in progress... you should take a whole aspirin as soon as possible. It could save your life! I’m Steve Girard at The Heart of the Matter.