Aspirin

Question 1

What is the therapeutic use for aspirin?

Answer 1

inflammation suppression, fever reduction, inhibition of platelet aggregation, analgesia for mild to moderate pain.

Question 2

What are adverse effects?

Answer 2

• Gastric upset, heartburn, nausea, gastric ulceration
• Bleeding (less with non-aspirin NSAIDs)
• Kidney dysfunction
• Salicylism (aspirin)
• Reye’s syndrome (aspirin)
• Thromboembolic events (non-aspirin NSAIDs)

Question 3

What should a nurse look out for?

Answer 3

• Monitor for manifestations of gastrointestinal bleeding (black or darkcolored
  stools, abdominal pain, nausea, hematemesis).
• Watch for fluid retention with intake and output.
• Monitor for tinnitus, diaphoresis, headache, dizziness, and respiratory alkalosis.
• Watch for manifestations of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascualr accident.

Question 4

What should you never do when adminsitering?

Answer 4

crush or chew

Question 5

What should the nurse instruct a pt., who takes an aspirin daily, do prior to a surgery?

Answer 5

educate to discontinue a week before scheduled surgeries

Question 6

How should we instruct pt. to take aspirin?

Answer 6

Take with food, milk, or 8 oz of water to minimize gastrointestinal effects.

Question 7

What signs should pts. report ?

Answer 7

• Report persistent gastric irritation and manifestations of bleeding.
• Report any unusual or prolonged bleeding.
• Report changes in urine output, weight gain, or manifestations of fluid retention such as edema or bloating.
• Report ringing or buzzing in the ears, sweating, headache, and dizziness.
• Report chest pain or heaviness, shortness of breath, sudden and severe headache, numbness, weakness, visual disturbances, or confusion.

Question 8

What are contraindications?

Answer 8

• Teratogenic
• Hypersensitivity to aspirin and other NSAIDS
• Peptic ulcer disease
• Bleeding disorders (hemophilia, vitamin K deficiency)
• Children or adolescents with chickenpox or influenza (especially aspirin)
• Perioperative use prior to coronary artery bypass grafting (non-aspirin
  NSAIDs)

Question 9

What are some precautions to be aware of?

Answer 9

• Older adults
• Cigarette smoking
• Alcohol use disorder
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• Heart failure
• Hypertension
• Hypovolemia
• Asthma
• Chronic urticaria
• Advanced kidney dysfunction

Question 10

What are some drug to drug interactions?

Answer 10

• Anticoagulants, glucocorticoids, and alcohol increase the risk of bleeding.
• Ibuprofen decreases the antiplatelet effects of low-dose aspirin.
• ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers increase the risk of kidney failure.
• Antihypertensive effects of ACE inhibitors decrease the risk of lithium carbonate and methotrexate toxicity increases.