When you feel uncomfortable taking enteric-coated aspirin tablets before meals, do you doubt the timing of taking the medicine?

Introduction

Recently, a patient asked, "The pharmacist told me to take enteric-coated aspirin tablets before meals, but I experienced stomach discomfort after taking this medicine before meals." The patient wanted to know whether it was right to take enteric-coated aspirin tablets before meals? Was there a problem with the quality of the medicine he bought? If he felt uncomfortable after taking the medicine before meals, could he take it after meals?

Question 1: "Is it right to take enteric-coated aspirin tablets before meals? Why do I still feel stomach discomfort if I take it before meals?"

Answer: Enteric-coated aspirin tablets are indeed taken before meals , which is clearly stipulated in the instructions. Taking medicine before meals allows the drug to quickly pass through the stomach and enter the intestines for release and play a role. Gastrointestinal discomfort caused by taking this enteric-coated aspirin tablet before meals may be due to the individual's special sensitivity to aspirin . Although our enteric-coated aspirin tablets can quickly pass through the stomach and enter the intestines before meals, not all (100%) of the drugs enter the intestines. China's pharmacopoeia stipulates that when 6 tablets of drugs are tested, the amount of drugs released from each tablet in the acidic environment of the stomach is less than 10%, that is, 100mg of aspirin, more than 90mg enters the intestines, and it is a qualified preparation if it is not released in the stomach; or in other words, 1-2 of the 6 tablets release more than 10% of the drug in the stomach, but the average of these 6 tablets does not exceed 10%, which is also a qualified enteric-coated preparation. For sensitive people, even such a small amount of aspirin released in the stomach can cause stomach discomfort. In addition, due to the different preparation levels of different manufacturers, some tablets release more than 10% of aspirin. Long-term use of drugs will also have a cumulative damage to the stomach, so some people will experience stomach discomfort when taking enteric-coated aspirin tablets before meals.

Second question: "Can I take enteric-coated aspirin tablets after meals in this case?"

Answer: I personally do not recommend taking enteric-coated aspirin tablets after meals . On the one hand, there is currently no relevant research on taking medicine after meals, and it is unknown whether food has an effect on the medicine. It may even increase the release of the medicine. On the other hand, it is still unknown whether the efficacy of taking medicine after meals will be affected. If the efficacy is reduced, the risk of embolic events will increase.

If you take enteric-coated aspirin tablets mainly for the prevention of coronary heart disease, in this case, I suggest you consult your attending physician to see if you can use clopidogrel bisulfate tablets or indobufen tablets instead of the enteric-coated aspirin tablets.

summary

Enteric-coated aspirin tablets should be taken before meals, but not all enteric-coated drugs are released in the intestines. It is recommended that people who are sensitive to aspirin consult a doctor to adjust their treatment plan according to their own situation, and do not take the medicine blindly after meals.