aspirin for heart care why is dose 81 milligrams?

Answer 1

If you are asking the question, "why such a weird weight - why not 80 milligrams," then it's a historical question. Aspirin is such an old drug that it has been around long enough to be metered out by ye olde tyme pharmacists in the units of "apothecaries' weight." Regular strength aspirin is 325 milligrams, or 5 grains - each grain weighing 64.8 milligrams. A "baby aspirin" is a quarter of the regular strength dose - 81 mg.

The lower dose is used because it has the desired anti-platelet ("blood-thinning") effects, and because higher doses are associated with ulcers.

Answer 2

The answer to your question is that a dose of 1 mg per kilogram of body weight daily is the amount required in vitro (in a test tube not a person) to block the formation of thromboxane A2 which leads to clots. Taking more aspirin that this blocks prostacyclin which prevents blood clots and it should be remembered that these 2 events are based upon in vitro data where amounts may be very carefully and minutely controlled. This recommendation applies to aspirin only and not other nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and indeed if you take NSAIDs in addition to aspirin the theoretical benefit is lost. And this is an important point as the benefit is theoretical and not documented in clinical trials and I say this although the recommendation to take aspirin is virtually universal. Despite such a widespread recommendation but all major medical groups in the United States there is no medical data to support this and all studies have shown potential harm (an increase in hemorrhagic or bleeding 'stroke' which is more devastating than heart attack or thromboembolic stroke) and I have a study by study report of the lack of benefit - if you are truly interested.

Answer 3

A standard aspirin is 325 mg. 81 mg is about 1/4 of a standard aspirin. I am not sure why this particular fraction seems to have become the standard, but I presume there were clinical studies involved.

Answer 4

aspirin is a blood thinner. people who use it, usually suffer from other problems. they found that small dosage helped to keep the blood flowing in people who had heart disease. that way they need less medicine.and since the need of this is daily, a higher dosage could damage different parts of the body, the smaller dose helps to do the job without the bad effects.

Answer 5

i was taking a higher dose of aspirin,and my dr. had to put me on 81 milligrams,after he gave me plavix,because if kept taking the higher dose of aspirin with plavix,then my blood would be too thin.

Answer 6

because any more then that can be harmful when taken every day. don't forget it travels thru you blood to other organs, ie liver. high doses of anything can cause irreversible liver damage.