Chewable Aspirin More Readily Absorbed

May 16 -- FRIDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Chewable aspirin is more readily absorbed into the bloodstream, making it the best aspirin choice for people suffering a cardiac incident, University of California, San Diego researchers report.

Volunteers who consumed chewable aspirin had higher levels of aspirin in their blood shortly afterward when compared with people who either swallowed regular aspirin whole or chewed then swallowed regular aspirin, according to the study, scheduled to be presented Friday at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's annual meeting in New Orleans.

Doctors sometimes prescribe aspirin to people who have had a cardiac incident or are at high risk for one.

Study abstracts also appear in the suplement to the April issue of Academic Emergency Medicine.

More information

The American Heart Association has more about using aspirin for heart conditions.

SOURCE: Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, news release, May 15, 2009