5 ms·

Assuming you've already caught the flu, what are some ways you can reduce the risk to the heart?

AstralStorm 9y ago
As with any infarctions. Take a clotting reducing agent. Non-aspirin anti-inflammatory should do the trick. (Prostaglandin system is fun.) Aspirin is ok too if you can live with the tiny risk of Reye's syndrome. Disclaimer: not an MD.
- widerporst 9y ago
  Not sure if I understand you correctly, but what anti-inflammatory medications except for aspirin are you talking about? To my knowledge, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen actually promote platelet aggregation and therefore increase the risk of cardiovascular events.
  - 35bge57dtjku 9y ago
    Can you cite that? Doctors recommend it for blood thinning/interfering with clotting, a half dose/baby aspirin/80mg.
    - widerporst 9y ago
      I'm not a medical professional, so I'm unsure about the details. Aspirin is, to my knowledge, the only NSAID that works as an anticoagulant due to some mechanism other than affecting prostaglandins and is therefore recommended by doctors. Other NSAIDs, however, consistently increase the risk of MI, for instance: http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1909 http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1909
- nonbel 9y ago
  No, NSAIDs are actually supposed increase the risk of heart attacks. See the second source in my other post: "It is generally accepted that oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can increase the risk of acute myocardial infarction." https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16239642 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16239642 Why would you tell someone that?
  - 35bge57dtjku 9y ago
    > Why would you tell someone that? Because there was a huge study that indicated aspirin should be used as a minor blood thinner and reduced heart attacks, and because most/a lot of doctors recommend it for such.
    - nonbel 9y ago
      I don't follow your point: >"aspirin should be used as a minor blood thinner and reduced heart attacks" >"Non-aspirin anti-inflammatory should do the trick"
      - 35bge57dtjku 9y ago
        > I don't follow your point You appeared confused as to why someone would say what they'd said. I pointed out one of the glaringly obvious reasons why someone could have done that. And there's also the fact that the study cited is fairly recent and news doesn't spread instantly...
        nonbel 9y ago
        Can you acknowledge that you realize the parent specifically said "non-aspirin", and everything you are talking about is regarding aspirin? It isn't clear to me that you realize this. Also, the cardiovascular issues in question are not something recent. They were already widely reported in 2005 to the point the FDA commented: >"Back in 2005, the FDA warned that taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen increased the risk of having a heart attack or stroke." https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fda-strengthens-warning-that-nsaids-increase-heart-attack-and-stroke-risk-201507138138 https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fda-strengthens-warning-... I asked that question because the advice was so opposite the usual, and the tone so playful ("Prostaglandin system is fun"), that it almost seemed to be a troll who had gone too far.
        35bge57dtjku 9y ago
        Are there really no sources that state that things other than aspirin inhibit platelet aggregation?
- 35bge57dtjku 9y ago
  Isn't Reye's only as issue because it might be caused in younger people?
  - ams6110 9y ago
    Yes. Use of aspirin has been linked to Reyes in children and teenagers, but even that is rare. Before Tylenol and Advil people commonly gave their kids aspirin for fevers and in the vast majority of cases there were no problems.

As with any infarctions. Take a clotting reducing agent. Non-aspirin anti-inflammatory should do the trick. (Prostaglandin system is fun.) Aspirin is ok too if you can live with the tiny risk of Reye's syndrome. Disclaimer: not an MD.

widerporst 9y ago
Not sure if I understand you correctly, but what anti-inflammatory medications except for aspirin are you talking about? To my knowledge, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen actually promote platelet aggregation and therefore increase the risk of cardiovascular events.
- 35bge57dtjku 9y ago
  Can you cite that? Doctors recommend it for blood thinning/interfering with clotting, a half dose/baby aspirin/80mg.
  - widerporst 9y ago
    I'm not a medical professional, so I'm unsure about the details. Aspirin is, to my knowledge, the only NSAID that works as an anticoagulant due to some mechanism other than affecting prostaglandins and is therefore recommended by doctors. Other NSAIDs, however, consistently increase the risk of MI, for instance: http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1909 http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1909
nonbel 9y ago
No, NSAIDs are actually supposed increase the risk of heart attacks. See the second source in my other post: "It is generally accepted that oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can increase the risk of acute myocardial infarction." https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16239642 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16239642 Why would you tell someone that?
- 35bge57dtjku 9y ago
  > Why would you tell someone that? Because there was a huge study that indicated aspirin should be used as a minor blood thinner and reduced heart attacks, and because most/a lot of doctors recommend it for such.
  - nonbel 9y ago
    I don't follow your point: >"aspirin should be used as a minor blood thinner and reduced heart attacks" >"Non-aspirin anti-inflammatory should do the trick"
    - 35bge57dtjku 9y ago
      > I don't follow your point You appeared confused as to why someone would say what they'd said. I pointed out one of the glaringly obvious reasons why someone could have done that. And there's also the fact that the study cited is fairly recent and news doesn't spread instantly...
      - nonbel 9y ago
        Can you acknowledge that you realize the parent specifically said "non-aspirin", and everything you are talking about is regarding aspirin? It isn't clear to me that you realize this. Also, the cardiovascular issues in question are not something recent. They were already widely reported in 2005 to the point the FDA commented: >"Back in 2005, the FDA warned that taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen increased the risk of having a heart attack or stroke." https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fda-strengthens-warning-that-nsaids-increase-heart-attack-and-stroke-risk-201507138138 https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fda-strengthens-warning-... I asked that question because the advice was so opposite the usual, and the tone so playful ("Prostaglandin system is fun"), that it almost seemed to be a troll who had gone too far.
        35bge57dtjku 9y ago
        Are there really no sources that state that things other than aspirin inhibit platelet aggregation?
35bge57dtjku 9y ago
Isn't Reye's only as issue because it might be caused in younger people?
- ams6110 9y ago
  Yes. Use of aspirin has been linked to Reyes in children and teenagers, but even that is rare. Before Tylenol and Advil people commonly gave their kids aspirin for fevers and in the vast majority of cases there were no problems.