Taking an aspirin as soon as you think you may be having a heart attack can help stop the growth of the blood clot that is blocking a coronary artery. Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a medication used to treat pain, fever, or inflammation. Specific inflammatory conditions which aspirin is used to treat include Kawasaki disease, pericarditis, and rheumatic fever. Aspirin given shortly after a heart attack decreases the risk of death. Aspirin is a salicylate (sa-LIS-il-ate). It works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain, fever, and inflammation. Aspirin is used to treat pain, and reduce fever or inflammation. Animation shows the mechanism of action of aspirin. Aspirin is also sometimes used to treat rheumatic fever (a serious condition that may develop after a strep throat infection and may cause swelling of the heart valves) and Kawasaki disease (an illness that may cause heart problems in children). Aspirin has been used as a pain reliever for more than 100 years. Since the 1970s, it’s also been used to prevent and manage heart disease and stroke. Aspirin is a common drug that helps minor aches and pains and fever, is an anti-inflammatory, and prevents blood clots. However, children should not take Aspirin nor people with certain medical. Aspirin is an orally administered non-steroidal antiinflammatory agent. Acetylsalicylic acid binds to and acetylates serine residues in cyclooxygenases, resulting in decreased synthesis of prostaglandin, platelet aggregation, and inflammation. Being a miagrine sufferer myself, aspirin usually does not do the trick. If she is light headed, its a combo of too much aspirin and the miagrine. Since the 1970s, taking a daily low-dose aspirin has been considered a safe, effective therapy to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.