thongfoto

If not, maybe you should... once a day! That's according to a top heart surgeon at Fairfax Hospital, VA.

A friend of mine suffered a massive heart attack last week. In the middle of the night, he was awakened by severe burning sensations in his chest. Being a tough guy (he was a Judo champion and bodybuilder) he took 2 Tylenols and tried to go back to sleep. Shortly thereafter, the unbearable pain caused him to grab 2 aspirins. This worked to soothe things until morning. He drove himself to his doctor and after an electro-cardio gram, his Doc informed him that he was suffering a massive heart attack, called 911 and rushed him straight away into the emergency room.

They found that 2 of his heart valves were clogged 1- 100% and the other 80%. They performed a stent to unclog the 100% clogged valve and gave him 10 different pills to take. Miraculously, he suffered no paralysis, lost of memory or physical impairment but the doctor told him that 20% of the bottom layer of his heart is possibly dead. The medication he's on is to try and recover 30% of that damaged 20%.

He was told that the aspirin worked well in thinning the blood and affecting the heart attack but had he called an ambulance and the EMTs had administered the proper care w/in the first 30min of the attack, he wouldn't have caused any damage to his heart.

Being a professional athlete he was always in top shape and never thought anything like that would occur to him. He had no history of heart problems in his family and absolutely no stress in his daily life. Ironically, he got med check ups every 3 mos and it revealed nothing until now.

The moral of the story, is don't be a tough guy or gal when you're feeling chest pains no matter how "healthy" you feel or look. Heart burn (acid reflux) usually occurs after meals and not at 3:30am. Take 1 baby aspirin a day to help thin the blood and transport the cholesterol out of your system.

jukngene

I take mine everyday. I have no heart problems, just want to be on the safe side.

Dallas

I take my 81mg aspirin every day. Thanks for posting this story, thongfoto. It is a warning for all of us.

Zangerzone

Aspirin, Sheesh, I have not had an Aspirin for almost 5 years. Knock on wood.

Kyras

Hmmm. I'm one of those who think they're healthy and don't need no stinkin' asprin. I sound like your friend. I did have my mom die of a heart attack though. Hmmm.

lig

Sometimes I take a couple of 325mg tabs and skip a day - particularly after tennis or golf.

Otherwise - 81mg daily.

mns2k

Take mine daily. When you are admitted to a hospital with chest pains the first medication you are given is an asprin. Only down side is a reduced ability for your blood to clot.

WhiteS2k

I took "baby" aspirin everyday for several years, then I started hearing about the down-side to it and now I've cut back to taking one every other day. The problems with daily aspinin include increased risk of internal bleeding, weakening of the digestive tract, kidney failure, and so on.

So make sure you talk to your doctor before you start taking daily aspinin, and be aware that it is not for everyone and it is not without risks.

ralper

Does Tylenol and/or Advil have the same effect?

jukngene

I'm not a doctor, (obviously), but the simple answer is "no."