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Magic aspirin: Why is it the only NSAID that irreversibly inhibits COX-1?
Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of therapeutic drugs that can effectively reduce pain, reduce inflammation, reduce fever and prevent blood clots.The side effects of these drugs depend on the specific drug, dose and usage time, but generally speaking, long-term use increases the risk of gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding, heart attacks and kidney disease.The widespread use of these drugs has led many doctors to discuss the effectiveness and risks of their use.
The mechanism of action of NSAIDs is that they exert their effects by inhibiting cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2), which are involved in the synthesis of prostaglandins, an important biological medium, thereby affecting the process of inflammation and platelet aggregation.
Among them, aspirin is a special NSAID because it irreversibly inhibits the activity of COX-1.This characteristic gives aspirin a unique role in human health, not only reducing pain but also preventing the formation of thrombosis, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular events.
Medical Application of Aspirin
One of the main uses of aspirin is anti-thrombosis.Clinically, doctors often prescribe aspirin for patients with cardiovascular problems because it reduces the risk of heart attack by inhibiting platelet aggregation.
The antithrombotic effect of aspirin is due to its inhibition of platelet aggregation, which makes it an important treatment option for patients with cardiovascular disease.
In addition, aspirin is also used for pain management after dental surgery, as its anti-inflammatory effects are generally more effective than the use of paracetamol alone (such as paracetamol).After dental surgery, the use of aspirin can significantly reduce the patient's discomfort and improve the quality of postoperative recovery.
Side effects and risks
Although the benefits of aspirin are obvious, its side effects cannot be ignored.Long-term or high doses of aspirin may cause gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding, especially in people with old medical history or high-risk risks, with further increasing risks.Experts point out that doses must be strictly controlled when using aspirin to avoid potential dangers.
About 10-20% of NSAID users experience indigestion every year, and the adverse reactions of upper gastrointestinal tract caused by aspirin require professional medical monitoring.
On the other hand, for heart patients, although aspirin reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, like other NSAIDs, it may still increase the risk of heart attacks.Therefore, doctors should carefully evaluate the patient's overall health and risks before starting to use such drugs.
Latest research results
Recent studies have shown that while NSAIDs are effective in relieving pain and inflammation, their effects on different patients are very different.According to the survey, about 60% of patients respond to NSAIDs, while other patients may need to try different drugs to get relief.This suggests that the treatment of pain and inflammation requires individualization and not all patients can benefit from the use of conventional NSAIDs.
It is worth mentioning that the effect of aspirin in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease is not obvious, which has been confirmed in several observational studies.While some evidence suggests that long-term use of NSAIDs may have some protective effects on Alzheimer's disease, there are currently no sufficient randomized controlled trials to support this stake.
The Integrity of Aspirin
In summary, aspirin, as the only NSAID that can irreversibly inhibit COX-1, its unique position in medicine cannot be underestimated.Despite certain side effects, its contribution to anti-thrombosis and reducing heart attacks undoubtedly makes it an important choice.In future medical research, can we discover more potential advantages of aspirin to improve patients' quality of life?
