Drug Products Containing Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin)

Which drug products contain acetylsalicylic acid, otherwise known as aspirin or ASA? If you are experiencing low platelet counts as a result of your leukemia or lymphoma, or due to other treatments, your healthcare provider will likely recommend that you avoid acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, or aspirin) to prevent complications.

Aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID,) which means that it works to decrease inflammation, but is not a steroid. There are other medications that are considered NSAIDs, though these work in a slightly different way from aspirin. The use of aspirin in history goes back to the early 1800s when a compound in willow bark, termed salicin, was found to reduce pain.

Aspirin may be used for conditions that range from very minor aches and pains to arthritis to the prevention of heart attacks and strokes. Unfortunately, due to its effectiveness with fevers, and minor aches and pains, it is a component of a very wide array of over-the-counter pain relievers, cold preparations, and more.

Aspirin works in a few ways. It can help to prevent clot formation (such as in heart attacks and strokes) by inhibiting platelet function. Platelets are the particles in the blood that cause a clot to form when you get a cut. It does this through inhibiting something called cyclooxygenase (COX) activity which in turn inhibits compounds known as prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins are also responsible for fevers and pain. So by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, ASA may reduce not only clot formation but also fever and pain.

Aspirin can be dangerous medically in two primary ways. It can directly cause problems or interact with medical treatments, or it can accentuate problems caused by other drugs or medical treatments that work in the same way.

There are a few reasons in which aspirin may not be a wise choice during treatment for leukemia and lymphomas. Many of the treatments for blood cancers reduce the number or effectiveness of platelets. Aspirin use could augment this problem. In addition, treatments for leukemias and lymphomas may result in a low red blood cell count. An increased risk of bleeding due to platelet dysfunction could further this problem. For these reasons, talk with your doctor or nurse before taking aspirin or NSAIDs while undergoing treatment.

Sometimes, surgical interventions are a part of the management of cancer or other illnesses. It is common that your health care team will ask you to stop medications that contain aspirin 7 days before your surgery or as directed by your doctor. If you take aspirin because you’ve had a problem with your heart or you’ve had a stroke, you should be sure to talk with your doctor specifically about this part of your medical history before you stop taking it.

Here is a list of some medications that contain ASA or related chemicals. This is not an all-inclusive list. Before starting any new medications or if you are unsure, please ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

• Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)
• Acuprin
• Aggrenox
• Alka-Seltzer Products (Regular, Extra Strength, Plus Flu, PM)
• Alor
• Anacin Products (Regular, Advanced Headache Formula, With Codeine)
• Asacol tablets
• Ascriptin tablets
• Aspergum tablets
• Aspircaf tablets
• Aspirin tablets, coated and uncoated
• Aspirin plus Stomach Guard tablets
• Aspir-Mox tablets
• Aspirtab tablets
• Aspir-trin tablets
• Axotal
• Azdone
• Bayer Aspirin Products (Regular, Plus Calcium, PM, Back and Body Pain, Children's chewable)
• BC Headache tablets
• Bufferin tablets
• Buffex
• Damason-P tablets
• Darvon- N with ASA capsules
• Darvon –N Compound capsules
• Dristan capsules
• Easprin tablets
• Ecotrin tablets
• Emagrin tablets
• Empirin tablets
• Endodan tablets
• Entaprin tablets
• Entercote tablets
• Equagesic tablets
• Excedrin Products(Regular, Back and Body)
• Fasprin tablets
• Genacote
• Gennin- FC
• Genprin
• Goody’s Body Pain
• Halfprin tablets
• Levacet
• Lortab ASA
• Magnaprin
• Micrainin
• Midol
• Miniprin
• Minitabs
• Momentum
• Norgesic tablets
• Orphengesic
• Oxycodan
• Panasal
• Percodan tablets
• Percodan- Demi tablets
• PMS Sulfasalazine tablets
• Propoxyphene Compound
• Ridiprin
• Robaxisal products
• Roxiprin
• Saleto
• Salofalk tablets and enema
• Sloprin
• Soma Compound
• Soma Compound with caffeine
• Supac
• Synalgos- DC
• Talwin
• Uni-Buff tablets
• Uni-tren tablets
• Valomag
• Vanquish
• Zorprin tablets

Since so many drug preparations contain aspirin, and since they may be labeled with a number of different names, it's important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medication. This is important for other reasons as well. Some drugs which appear relatively safe may be unsafe or otherwise cause problems for people going through cancer treatment. Keep in mind that this doesn't apply just to medications. Some vitamin and mineral preparations may decrease the effectiveness of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, even though they may be very safe for someone who is not being treated for cancer.