Ecosprin 75: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects

What is Ecosprin 75 used for?

Ecosprin 75 is used, on a doctor's prescription, to lower the risk of a blood clot blocking an artery to the heart or brain.

• Lowering the risk of another heart attack in people who have had one, or who have coronary heart disease such as angina
• Lowering the risk of another stroke or mini-stroke (transient ischaemic attack, TIA) caused by a blood clot
• After heart bypass surgery
• After a procedure to open a narrowed heart artery with a stent, usually together with another antiplatelet medicine such as clopidogrel

How does Ecosprin 75 work?

Platelets are tiny blood cells that clump together to form clots. To do this they make a signal called thromboxane A2, using an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase-1 (COX-1). Aspirin blocks COX-1 in platelets for the rest of their life, so they clump less and a clot is less likely to block an artery to the heart or brain. Because platelets cannot make new enzyme, a small daily dose is enough; it is too low to relieve pain or fever well.

What happens in your body after you take it

1. You swallow the tablet

   The tablet has a coating that does not dissolve in stomach acid, which helps reduce direct irritation of the stomach lining. That is why it should be swallowed whole with water, not crushed or chewed.

2. Released in the small intestine

   The coating dissolves in the small intestine and aspirin is absorbed into the blood. Because of the coating, this happens a few hours after the dose rather than within minutes.

3. Platelets meet it on the way

   Blood from the gut passes through the liver before reaching the rest of the body, and the platelets in this blood meet aspirin first. Much of the aspirin is then turned into salicylic acid in the gut wall and liver; salicylic acid has little effect on platelets.

4. Platelets are switched off

   Aspirin attaches to the COX-1 enzyme inside each platelet it reaches and blocks it for good. The platelet can no longer make thromboxane A2, the signal it uses to call other platelets and stick together.

5. The effect outlasts the medicine

   Aspirin itself is gone from the blood within about half an hour, and salicylic acid within a few hours, removed mainly by the kidneys in urine. But a blocked platelet stays less sticky for the rest of its life, about 7 to 10 days.

6. New platelets keep arriving

   The bone marrow releases new platelets every day, roughly a tenth of the total. The daily dose blocks these new platelets too, which is why it is taken every day. After the last dose, normal clotting returns gradually over several days as new platelets replace the old ones.

How to take Ecosprin 75

Take Ecosprin 75 exactly as your doctor has prescribed or as printed on the pack. Your doctor decides the dose and how long you need it.

• It is usually taken once a day, at about the same time each day.
• Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. Do not crush, chew or break it, because the coating protects the stomach.
• Follow the label or your doctor's advice on whether to take it with or after food.
• If you miss a dose, take it when you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Do not take two doses together.
• It is often needed for a long time, sometimes for life. Do not stop taking it on your own; talk to your doctor first, because stopping can raise the risk of a clot.
• It is not for children or teenagers under 16 unless a specialist prescribes it, because aspirin is linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious illness.
• Do not use it for pain or fever. At 75 mg it does little for pain, and the coating delays its effect.

Ecosprin 75 dosage: how to take it

Side effects of Ecosprin 75

Most people take low-dose aspirin without serious problems. Because it makes the blood clot less easily, the main risk is bleeding, especially from the stomach.

Uncommon or mild

• Indigestion or stomach ache
• Feeling sick (nausea)
• Bruising more easily
• Bleeding for longer than usual from small cuts, nosebleeds or bleeding gums

Ecosprin 75 side effects: common and serious

Who should be careful

Some people need to check with a doctor before taking low-dose aspirin, or need extra care while taking it.

• A stomach or duodenal ulcer now or in the past, or past bleeding from the stomach or gut
• A bleeding disorder such as haemophilia, or a low platelet count
• Asthma, nasal polyps, or a past reaction to aspirin, ibuprofen or another NSAID, such as wheezing, a rash or swelling
• High blood pressure that is not controlled
• Gout: low-dose aspirin can raise uric acid levels and may trigger an attack
• Severe liver or kidney disease
• Older age: older people are more likely to have stomach bleeding
• The coating does not remove the risk of stomach bleeding, because aspirin also affects the stomach lining through the blood
• Surgery or dental work, including a tooth extraction: tell the surgeon or dentist that you take aspirin. Do not stop it on your own; your doctor will decide whether it should be paused
• Fever, especially during dengue season: see a doctor and mention that you take aspirin, because aspirin is avoided in dengue
• Children and teenagers under 16: aspirin is linked to Reye's syndrome
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding: low-dose aspirin is sometimes prescribed in pregnancy, but only on a doctor's advice; higher doses are avoided, especially from 20 weeks

Medicines and things that interact with Ecosprin 75

Several medicines raise the risk of bleeding when taken with aspirin, and aspirin changes how a few others work. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about every medicine, herbal remedy and supplement you take.

• Blood thinners (anticoagulants) such as warfarin, acenocoumarol, heparin, rivaroxaban or apixaban: the risk of serious bleeding is higher. Take them together only if a doctor has prescribed both
• Other antiplatelet medicines such as clopidogrel, prasugrel or ticagrelor: often prescribed together on purpose, for example after a stent, but bleeding is more likely
• NSAID painkillers such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen or mefenamic acid: more risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding. Regular ibuprofen may also weaken aspirin's effect on platelets. Paracetamol can usually be taken with low-dose aspirin; ask a pharmacist
• Antidepressants called SSRIs, such as sertraline or paroxetine, and steroid tablets such as prednisolone: more risk of stomach bleeding
• Methotrexate: aspirin can raise methotrexate levels; it must not be taken with methotrexate doses above 15 mg a week
• Some blood pressure and heart medicines, such as ACE inhibitors and water tablets (diuretics): aspirin may lower their effect and, especially with dehydration, strain the kidneys
• Lithium, digoxin and valproate: aspirin can raise their levels
• Diabetes medicines called sulfonylureas, such as glimepiride: blood sugar may fall lower than expected
• Alcohol: raises the risk of stomach bleeding

If someone takes too much

Storage

Store below 30°C in a dry place, protected from light and moisture, in the original strip, and out of the reach of children. Do not use after the expiry date. Check the pack for the exact storage instructions.

Regulatory status in India

Approved for sale in India. Single-ingredient aspirin is not on the CDSCO list of medicines banned under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Ecosprin 75 contains aspirin only.

Other brands with the same medicine

Aspirin 75 mg gastro-resistant tablets are also sold under other brand names and as generic medicines, including at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras. They contain the same medicine; check the label for the strength. Some other Ecosprin products also contain other medicines, such as clopidogrel or atorvastatin, so do not switch between them without asking your doctor.

Other strengths and forms

Ecosprin is sold by USV in more than one strength, including 75 mg and 150 mg gastro-resistant tablets, and in combination capsules with other medicines such as Ecosprin AV (aspirin with atorvastatin). The strength and contents are printed on the pack and are not the same across products, so check the label of the one you have.

Common questions