Aspirin for Mitral Valve Regurgitation

Examples

Brand Name	Generic Name
Anacin, Ascriptin, Bayer, Bufferin	aspirin

How It Works

Aspirin works quickly (within 15 minutes) to prevent the formation of blood clots. This decreases the chance that a blood clot will form and block a narrowed heart artery, leading to a heart attack or stroke.

Why It Is Used

Aspirin can be used after mitral valve surgery to reduce the risk of blood clots forming.

How Well It Works

Aspirin is effective in preventing the formation of clots in people who have specific heart problems that make clot formation more likely, but is less effective than the anticoagulant medicine warfarin (Coumadin).

Side Effects

Side effects of aspirin include:

Inflammation of the stomach (gastritis).
Gastrointestinal bleeding.
Allergic reaction.
Bruising and bleeding (hemorrhage) in the brain (rarely) or other internal organs of the body.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

If you have mitral valve surgery, your doctor will probably prescribe other blood thinners. Do not take aspirin along with these without your doctor's permission. Always inform your doctor of any medicines or dietary supplements that you are using.

Brand-name aspirin is no more effective than generic or store brands.

Aspirin is sometimes combined with another medicine like an antacid (such as Ascriptin).

Aspirin may be coated to help prevent stomach upset (such as Bufferin).

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Author:	Robin Parks, MS	Last Updated: March 27, 2008
Medical Review:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology
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