Aspirin-containing antacids can cause bleeding

Before you go to the pharmacy for an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine to treat an upset stomach or heartburn, consider whether you should take an aspirin-containing antacid. Because the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that if you take aspirin-containing stomach antacids to treat heartburn, heartburn, and indigestion, it can cause gastrointestinal bleeding in some cases. fit.

Cases of stomach bleeding when taking antacids are quite rare. In 2009, the FDA issued a warning about the risk of stomach bleeding with the use of aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In the FDA database, eight cases of severe stomach bleeding were detected with aspirin-containing antacids. This is not a common number but should be kept in mind as some patients at risk have required blood transfusions.
However, the FDA only mentions cases of people taking aspirin-containing stomach antacids to treat stomach pain or heartburn, not trying to urge people to stop using Aspirin completely.
So how to choose the right antacid to treat indigestion? Many experts recommend that users read the information label on the drug packaging, which will indicate whether the product contains Aspirin and warn of cases that can cause bleeding. If the medication contains aspirin, consider choosing another medication to treat it. There are many aspirin-free stomach medications on the market today.

Because Aspirin can thin the blood, the FDA believes that the Aspirin in these combination drugs may contribute to serious stomach bleeding. People with one or more risk factors are more likely to experience complications when taking aspirin-containing antacids. You will have a higher risk of bleeding with this medicine if you:
Are 60 years of age or older. Have a history of stomach ulcers or bleeding problems. Are taking medicines that decrease the blood's ability to clot (also known as anticoagulants or blood thinners). Are taking steroid medication, eg Prednisone to reduce inflammation. Are taking other medicines that contain NSAIDs, eg Ibuprofen or Naproxen. Drink lots of alcoholic beverages, many stimulants every day.

Warning signs of stomach or intestinal bleeding will include: abdominal pain, vomiting blood, passing black stools, fainting. These are signs that you should notify your doctor right away.
What happens if I take aspirin-containing antacids for a long time?
Some people may accidentally or habitually use aspirin-containing stomach antacids for a long time. In addition to the risk of bleeding, it's not normal to have ongoing abdominal pain or frequent heartburn. Patients should talk to their doctor about the process of using the drug, the side effects encountered if it occurs.
What to do if you are taking aspirin regularly?
If your doctor has previously prescribed you to take Aspirin every day to help prevent a heart attack or other condition, do not stop without first talking to your doctor. Make sure you talk to your doctor about an alternative medicine you can take in case of abdominal pain.

Patients have many alternatives to treat heartburn, heartburn, acid indigestion and colic. Read drug information labels and look for products that contain “antacids” or “acid reducers.”
For example, there are many OTC medications that contain only one antacid such as Calcium carbonate, Magnesium hydroxide, or another antacid. They can be used to treat heartburn, upset stomach, acid indigestion, and upset stomachs. For occasional heartburn, there are acid-reducing agents such as proton pump inhibitors (Esomeprazole, Lansoprazole, Omeprazole), or H2 blockers (Cimetidine, Famotidine, Ranitidine).

Conclusion
Since 2009, the FDA has added a warning about the risk of serious bleeding to the labels of all over-the-counter products containing NSAIDs, including aspirin-containing antacids. The FDA is continuing to monitor and verify this situation and plans to consider adding warnings for labeling or other practices. On the consumer side, to protect yourself, you should still consider choosing other medications to treat heartburn and upset stomach instead of aspirin-containing antacids.

Reference source: fda.gov