Uncle Wang is a retired worker and has always been in good health. It was only before retirement that he was diagnosed with coronary heart disease, and the doctor prescribed him aspirin enteric-coated capsules as daily medication. Uncle Wang strictly abides by the doctor's instructions, takes medicine on time every day, and his condition has remained stable.
However, on a sunny afternoon, while wandering around a small pharmacy in the neighborhood, Uncle Wang stumbled upon a cheaper aspirin tablet. He thought to himself, "It's all aspirin anyway, so it should be about the same, right?" In order to save some money, Uncle Wang decided to try to change the medicine.
He didn't hesitate for too long, he bought this cheap aspirin regular tablet, and then he still kept the original medication time, taking aspirin before each meal. However, it didn't take long for him to realize that something was starting to be wrong with his body.
Uncle Wang's stomach began to feel frequent discomfort, dull pain, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. He thought that his old stomach problem had happened again, so he went to the pharmacy and bought some stomach medicine to eat. However, after eating for a few days, the symptoms still did not improve, but became more and more serious.
At this time, Uncle Wang began to panic, and he decided to go to the hospital to seek help from doctors.
In the hospital, the doctor carefully inquired about Uncle Wang's condition and medication. When he learned that Uncle Wang had changed the aspirin dosage form and the time of taking it had not changed, the doctor frowned. He told Uncle Wang: "Although aspirin enteric-coated capsules and ordinary tablets are both aspirin, their pharmacological effects and methods of taking them are different. The outer layer of the enteric-coated capsule has an enteric coating, which can protect the drug from being destroyed in the stomach, and the drug is released only after entering the intestine, thereby reducing irritation to the stomach. Ordinary tablets do not have such a protective layer, and the drug will be released and absorbed in the stomach, which will cause relatively greater irritation to the gastric mucosa. ”
The doctor further explained, "Different dosage forms of aspirin are also particular about the timing of taking them. Enteric-coated capsules are usually recommended to be taken before meals, as there is less food in the stomach at this time and the drug is able to enter the intestines more quickly to work. Ordinary tablets can be taken after meals to reduce stomach irritation. But you don't notice this and still take the regular tablet according to the original medication time, which leads to the direct release of the drug in the stomach, irritating the gastric mucosa for a long time, and eventually causing damage to the gastric mucosa. ”
Hearing this, Uncle Wang suddenly realized. He regretted that he had changed his medication without consulting a doctor. At the same time, he also realized that he still had many blind spots in terms of medication.
In order to make up for these blind spots, the doctor gave Uncle Wang a detailed science popularization of the correct way to take aspirin.
1. Understand the differences between different dosage forms
There are differences between enteric-coated capsules and ordinary tablets in terms of pharmacological effects and methods of administration. Enteric-coated capsules are more suitable for patients with sensitive stomachs, while regular tablets may be more suitable for patients with healthier stomachs.
2. Follow the doctor's instructions and medication instructions
When it comes to medication, we must follow the doctor's instructions and the instructions on the package insert. Don't change or adjust the dose of medication based on your own feelings or at the advice of others.
3. Pay attention to the medication time
Different dosage forms of aspirin are also particular about the time they are taken. Enteric-coated capsules are usually taken before meals, while regular tablets can be taken after meals. Following the correct timing of medication can ensure the effectiveness and safety of the medication.
4. Observe the body's reaction
Although the overall safety of aspirin is high, it is not excluded that there will be intolerance, so patients must pay attention to observe their physical reactions during the medication, and once they find that they are unwell, they should seek medical attention in time and inform the doctor of their medication situation, so that the doctor can help adjust the treatment plan.
After this lesson and the doctor's science popularization, Uncle Wang deeply realized the importance of taking aspirin correctly. He decided that he must consult more doctors or pharmacists in the future, and no longer make decisions on his own. At the same time, he also hopes to share his experience with more people, so that everyone can take medicine correctly and protect their health.