Aspirin doesn't up bleeding post-endoscopy

MONTREAL, UPI) - An aspirin a day taken to reduce heart attacks and strokes does not contribute to bleeding after an endoscopy exam, says a Canadian study.

Endoscopy -- a procedure where a tube is inserted deep into the body -- can be used for a variety of diagnoses in, among others, the gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory tract. The procedure is also done during pregnancy and cosmetic surgery.

Clinical guidelines for use of anti-platelets -- medication that prevents blood clotting, such as aspirin -- during these procedures have been ambiguous, Dr. Alan Barkun, chief of gastroenterology at McGill University in Montreal, said in a statement.

"Some suggest withholding or stopping these medications 10 days prior to the endoscopic procedure. Others will not perform the procedure if the patient was taking antiplatelet agents."

In some cases this could have serious negative clinical implications, he added.

The findings, published in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, suggest these precautionary measures are not necessary.

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