Aspirin absorption rates and platelet inhibition times with 325-mg buffered aspirin tablets (chewed or swallowed intact) and with buffered aspirin solution

Large clinical trials such as the second International Study of Infarct Survival routinely gave patients with myocardial infarction a chewed aspirin, yet there are no data to show whether chewing of aspirin is better, or worse, than swallowing a whole tablet. We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled study to determine whether chewing aspirin or administering it in solution accelerates its absorption and antiplatelet activity. On separate days, 12 fasting volunteers ingested 325 mg of buffered aspirin, either by chewing a tablet for 30 seconds before swallowing it with 4 ounces of water, swallowing a whole tablet with 4 ounces of water, or drinking 4 ounces of Alka Seltzer. Frequent blood samples were obtained for serum aspirin, salicylate, and thromboxane B₂ (TxB₂) concentrations. With all formulations of aspirin, serum TxB₂ decreased 50% when the plasma aspirin concentration reached approximately 1,000 ng/ml. A 50% and 90% decrease in serum TxB₂ occurred more quickly after chewing a tablet than after a tablet was swallowed whole. For example, the t 50% for serum TxB₂ inhibition was 5.0 ± 0.6 minutes with the chewed tablet versus 12.0 ± 2.3 minutes when the tablet was swallowed (p = 0.01). A 50% decrease in serum TxB₂ occurred 7.6 ± 1.2 minutes after Alka Seltzer solution (p = 0.04 vs chewing a tablet; p = 0.13 vs swallowing a whole tablet). Chewing an aspirin tablet is the most effective way of accelerating absorption of aspirin into the blood and shortening the time required for an antiplatelet effect.