[extropy-chat] Asprin, life-extension, and the current spate of pain-reliever problems

[Dan Clemmensen]

Over the last month or so, several "new" pain relievers have been found 
to increase the risk of heart problems.

In each case, the problems were uncovered in long-term studies. the big 
names (Viaoxx, Celebrex) are Cox-2 inhibitors but today is was announced 
that Naprosin is also statistically linked to increased heart problems 
in a long-term study. Naprosin in not a Cox-2 inhibitor.

Here's a hypothesis: most people who take these drugs probably reduce 
their intake of Aspirin. Aspirin has been shown to have important 
beneficial effects in reducing heart (and other) problems when taken 
long-term. Possibly there is nothing wrong with the more modern and 
powerful pain relievers except that they cause people to reduce their 
use of Aspirin.

A question for the list: does anyone know how to determine whether or 
not this effect has been examined?

Disclosure: I've been taking one 325mg Aspirin tablet per day for ten 
years. This is just about my only move in the direction of life 
extension. I started doing this after reading one too many studies about 
the beneficial effects of Aspirin. I take 325mg rather than the 81mg 
"enteric-coated" Aspirin because the 325mg is cheaper per dose, and 
because the studies mostly showed good effects as a side-effect of large 
doses of Aspirin taken for other reasons.