•Aspirin's role in keeping the blood flowing round the body also prevents clots forming in the veins of the leg - a deep-vein thrombosis - as well as protecting the arteries to the heart from silting up after a bypass graft.

 

•Those with diabetes are particularly prone to circulatory problems involving the blood supply to the retina at the back of the eye, problems which can result in blindness. Aspirin helps protect against this and also prevents the formation of cloudy cataracts.

•Aspirin can reduce the risk of miscarriage and is also recommended for the treatment of babies that are growing too slowly in the womb.

•Aspirin has been found to shrink the size of polyps in the colon which can give rise to cancer.

•Aspirin helps soothe migraine attacks, promotes the healing of leg ulcers and even reduces the need to pass urine frequently at night - a condition that often disturbs older people.

 

Published by the kind permission of The Week