Q. I have irritation in my digestive tract, with possible bleeding in the small intestine. Which is better for me to take, baby aspirin or enteric-coated 81 mg aspirin?
I have taken a baby aspirin since the early 80s. At some point I switched to enteric-coated aspirin. When I started Niaspan over a year ago, I increased it to three per day.
A. Doctors have recommended enteric-coated aspirin to protect the stomach from irritation that could lead to ulcers. The special coating on these pills keeps the ingredients from being released in the stomach. Instead, they are dispersed in the small intestine.
New technology has allowed physicians to view the small intestine and discover that it too is quite susceptible to damage from aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like diclofenac, ibuprofen or naproxen (Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Jan. 2005).
Aspirin, even chewable baby aspirin, may be too risky for you. Please discuss this with your doctor.
