Aspirin revisited.

ASA is a safe drug to relieve pain, lessen fever, diminish the inflammatory reaction and treat arthritis. This drug can be given to people in a very safe soluble and buffered form which minimizes its major potential side effect: G.I. bleeding. The G.I. bleeding seen with ASA is due to its local effect on the gastric mucosa. The evidence that exists shows that ASA's effect upon the platelet does not contribute to the gastric bleeding. It is unclear to what extent those diseases mediated by thrombosis can be prevented by ASA and other platelet-suppressive drugs. Thrombosis is not equivalent to hemostasis, but is a distortion of the hemostatic process. Clinical trials are now underway but they will probably be inconclusive. Presently, the literature is contradictory and, therefore, the decision to use ASA as an anti-thrombotic durg remains with the individual physician.