Aspirin Side Effects

Question: When I read about all the possible side effects of aspirin, I begin to think the treatment may be worse than whatever it is the aspirin is being taken for. Why don’t doctors recommend that their patients take acetaminophen instead?

Answer: As I have noted on numerous occasions, every drug has the potential for adverse side effects. Aspirin is no exception. The question a physician must always consider is whether these side effects outweigh the benefits one hopes to achieve from use of the medication.

Some drugs prescribed by physicians are far more toxic than aspirin. Those used in the treatment of cancer, for example, are extremely powerful and produce serious side effects. But if the alternative is the patient’s death, their use is justified if there is the possibility they will do some good.

Having said that, I should also point out that acetaminophen, too, has the potential for serious side effects. For example, daily use of acetaminophen has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of kidney disease. The bottom line is that all medications should be used with care, not taken indiscriminately.