Dipyridamole and Aspirin (Systemic)

Brand Names : ASA, salicylic acid acetate, Aggrenox, acetylsalicylic acid

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For dipyridamole and aspirin the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to dipyridamole, aspirin, or inflammation or pain medicine (excluding narcotics). Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy -

• Dipyridamole - Dipyridamole has not been studied in pregnant women. However, dipyridamole has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.
• Aspirin - Aspirin has been shown to cause bleeding problems in mother and fetus in humans, especially during the last 3 months of pregnancy. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.

Breast-feeding - Dipyridamole and aspirin are passed into breast milk in small amount. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children -

• Dipyridamole - There is no specific information comparing use of dipyridamole in children with use in other age groups.
• Aspirin - Do not give aspirin to a child or a teenager with a fever or other symptoms of a virus infection, especially flu or chickenpox, without first discussing its use with your child's doctor . This is very important because salicylates may cause a serious illness called Reye's syndrome in children and teenagers caused by a virus infection, especially flu or chickenpox.

Older adults -

• Dipyridamole - Dipyridamole has not been studied specifically in older people taking the medicine regularly to prevent blood clots from forming. Although there is no specific information comparing this use of dipyridamole in the elderly with use in other age groups, it is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.
• Aspirin - Elderly people are especially sensitive to the effects of aspirin. However, this is not expected to limit the usefulness of this drug.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking dipyridamole and aspirin, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Probenecid (e.g. Benemid) or
• Sulfinpyrazone (e.g. Anturane) - may decrease the effects of these drugs

• Methotrexate (e.g. Rheumatrex) - may increase the toxicity of methotrexate, especially in older people with kidney disease

• Anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as heparin (e.g., Liquaemin) or
• Warfarin (e.g. Coumadin) or
• Inflammation or pain medicines, except narcotics - may increase the chance of bleeding

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of dipyridamole and aspirin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alcohol use, chronic or
• Vitamin K deficiency or other bleeding problems - The chance of bleeding may be increased

• Asthma, allergies, and nasal polyps (history of) or
• Heart disease or
• Liver disease or
• Low blood pressure - The side effects may be increased

• Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme deficiency - This condition may worsen, increasing risk of anemia

• Gout - The medicine used to treat this condition may not work properly

• Kidney disease - This condition may be made worse

• Stomach inflammation or ulcer - These conditions may worsen, increasing the risk of bleeding