Question: My 90-year-old mother is very sensitive to medications. She has a-symptomatic A-Fib. They have given her one baby aspirin (81 mg) a day for a while to reduce her blood cell and platelet clotting ability. This has gone well. They are thinking of eliminating the aspirin since it is just one more chemical in her body that her metabolism has to deal with, and, again, she certainly does not handle medications well (which family certainly agrees with, especially since she had temporary liver issues in the late 1950’s when pregnant, and there is a history of liver issues in the family). Also, they say that at that dose it is only a small effect on the clotting cells/ability anyway.

However, 9 years ago a very competent primary care doctor told me that one regular aspirin (325 mg) TAKEN ONCE will affect about 60 to 70 to 80 percent of the blood cells / platelet cells, and that in the average person “after taking one regular aspirin a day for two or three days, virtually all of the blood cells are affected with the anti-clotting effect.” The affected cells then have a reduced ability to clot, this anti-clotting effect lasts until the blood cell dies, and that the blood cells live 4 months and are replaced daily (thus about 0.8 percent of blood cells die each day). Using the above figures that 60 to 80 percent of blood cells are affected by one regular aspirin taken once, I calculate that one baby aspirin (one fourth the effect) a day each day will over time affect about 94 to 96 percent of blood cells on an ongoing basis. This is a very substantial ongoing anti-clotting effect, not a minimal one. Further, using the above figures of 60 to 80 percent, I calculate that even one baby aspirin a week will in time affect roughly 63 to 78 percent of blood cells on an ongoing basis. Even this amount is somewhat substantial.

My late father had A-Fib and an esteemed professor emeritus from the local medical school, who took a medication-conservative approach (that my medication-sensitive father wanted), had Dad on 3 baby aspirin a week. Using the above figures of 60 to 80 percent for one regular aspirin taken once, I calculate that 3 baby aspirin a week over time will affect roughly 90 to 92.5 percent of all blood cells on an ongoing basis. This is a very fine anti-clotting affect, accomplished very conservatively, just what he/we wanted. Dad did extremely well, lived with the A-Fib for 6 years, and died of old age at 88.5 years, not any heart or A-Fib related issue. We are thinking of asking Mom’s cardiologist about Mom taking 1 or 2 or 3 baby aspirin a week. But I need MORE ACCURATE DATA on how many blood cells are affected (with reduced clotting ability) by a regular (or a baby) aspirin taken ONCE.

I need to know EXACTLY what percentage of blood cells are affected (with reduced clotting ability) in the average person when the average person takes a regular aspirin or a baby aspirin ONCE. The reference would be very helpful too. I am happy to pay more for an answer like this, as I have spent hours looking online. Thank you very much, XXXXXXX Whinston. YYYY@YYYY