"THE HEART OF THE MATTER"
a special program of the National Emergency Medicine Association (NEMA)
Week: 600.5
Guest: Dr. Raymond Woosley, Georgetown School of Medicine
Topic: Aspirin recommended during heart attacks
Host/Producer: Steve Girard
NEMA: Aspirin during 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: The American Heart Association has recommended for some time that people who have had heart attacks should take about a third of an aspirin, or one baby aspirin, to help prevent a recurrence. Now, the AHA says someone having a heart attack should take a whole aspirin to have a better chance of survival and recovery...this is Dr. Raymond Woosley, co-director of the cardiovascular center at Georgetown Medical Center...
WOOSLEY: Control trials have compared blood thinners, including aspirin, and found that a single 5 grain aspirin, taken as early as possible with a heart attack...gives you the very best outcome, compared to other forms of blood thinners. Now, my own recommendation is that they immediately go to an emergency room or a physician, where that can be done under controlled observation. I think if a patient thinks they’re having a heart attack, and for some reason they can’t get to the doctor immediately, they might want to go ahead and take an aspirin. But my recommendation is that they get to the hospital, take an aspirin with them, and ask the doctor, "should I go ahead and take this".
NEMA: Daily aspirin therapy is not recommended for people who have not been diagnosed at risk of heart attack. I’m Steve Girard at The Heart of the Matter.