“How does aspirin help your heart?”

If you have blockages, stents or bypass grafts, it reduces the chance of blood clotting in the arteries. That is the mechanism of heart attacks when blood clots on top of atherosclerotic plaques (blockages).

Aspirin blocks the function of platelets. Platelets are involved in the buildup of plaque in the coronary (among other) arteries because they are “sticky”. In appropriate patients, aspirin can reduce the incidence of a coronary blockage, which in turn reduces the chance for a heart attack. You should ask your doctor if you meet any criteria for aspirin therapy. Do not start this on your own. Aspirin does have side effects, and the decision to take it, as with any medication, involves a risk-benefit analysis.