In a nutshell
This study investigated if dipyrone interacts with aspirin in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).
They found that dipyrone interferes with aspirin and should be used with caution in patients with CHD.
Some background
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. This can be caused by a number of factors. One cause is a blockage in the coronary arteries (blood vessels). To treat CHD, patients may take medication to thin the blood and prevent blockages. Aspirin is a drug used to treat CHD. Aspirin blocks an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase 1 (COX1). COX1 is important for the function of blood cells called platelets. Platelets are one type of blood cell responsible for blood clotting. Reducing the number of platelets in the blood makes it thinner.
In some cases, platelets become resistant to aspirin. A number of factors may contribute to this. Some other drugs might interfere with aspirin. One such drug is dipyrone. Dipyrone is a drug that can relieve pain. It is unclear if dipyrone interferes with the action of aspirin.
Methods & findings
This study included 80 patients with CHD. Patients took 100mg aspirin once a day. Dipyrone was given at the same time as aspirin. Blood samples were taken 3 hours after medication. An analysis was performed to determine the effect of the medication on platelets.
42.5% of patients developed resistance to aspirin. Higher doses of dipyrone were associated with greater resistance to the effects of aspirin. Patients that received dipyrone intravenously had greater resistance than those that received it orally. Taking aspirin 30 minutes before dipyrone prevented resistance to aspirin.
The bottom line
The authors concluded dipyrone interferes with aspirin and should be used with caution in patients with CHD.
The fine print
The number of patients in this study was small. Larger studies are needed. The long-term effects of dipyrone and aspirin treatment were not addressed. This will be important to determine if this treatment combination is safe.
Published By :
European journal of clinical pharmacology
Date :
Sep 24, 2018
