Aspirin Before Bed May Prevent Cardiac Attack, Study Confirms

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Taking a low dose of Aspirin before bedtime may very well be a life-saver for heart disease patients, according to a recent study made in the Netherlands, reports USA Today.

While it's common knowledge by now that patients at risk for cardiac arrest and those who have survived heart attack should take a low dose of Aspirin daily, new insight into this preventative measure suggests that the daily intake of low-dose Aspirin is best done at night, right before sleeping.

Researchers from the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands studied data belonging to 290 patients suffering from heart disease who were already on the Aspirin treatment, according to The Telegraph. Over a period of two-three months, they asked respondents to ingest 100 milligrams of Aspirin either before bedtime or right after waking up in the morning. They then measured the patients' platelet activity and blood pressure after each period. Results showed that platelet activity was significantly reduced when respondents took the drug at night, right before sleeping.

Lead author of the study, Tobias Bonten, explained that, "Platelet activity is highest in the morning, and that is also the time that most heart attacks and strokes occur, so if you reduce platelet activity during the morning hours, you might reduce heart attacks and stroke at that time," reports The Telegraph.

Bonten emphasized that the study they made provides life-saving insight for patients taking the low-dose Aspirin for their heart problem. It is the first study to investigate the correlation between Aspirin intake and timing among heart disease patients.

The American Heart Association (AHA) had long recommended the intake of Aspirin for cardiac disease patients, as the drug prevents platelets from forming into destructive clots that cause heart attack and stroke. However, patients must first check with their doctor before taking up the treatment, as each patient may react differently to Aspirin therapy.

AHA spokesperson Dr. Sidney Smith Jr. says more research studies are needed to examine the correlation further, in order "to demonstrate that this beneficial effect on platelets is translated into fewer heart attacks and strokes," reports USA Today.