Aspirin possibly contributing to death?

[mrrcsound]

What is the name of your state? NY

My father suddenly passed away one month ago yesterday. He was 77 and in pretty good health. He died of a major brain anurism.

I know these things happen. Although not OK with it, I understood that nothing could be done. The brain bleed was just too severe.

He was on a daily aspirin regiment for at least the last 5 years. Although he did have some heart problems, he never had a heart attack, and actually no major problems from it that caused any issues with daily life.

Yesterday I read a new study found that unless the patient has had a heart attack, the dangers of daily aspirin use outweigh the benefits. One of the dangers was an increased risk of inter-cranial bleeding. This made me look into it further.

Turns out that this was not the first study with such a conclusion. In the past couple of years at least 2 other studies have come to the same conclusion. A study from the UK said that 3000 people there a year die because of the aspirin regiment. It also went on to say that patients over the age of 75 had a 10 times increase of death from a bleed associated with aspirin use! 10 times!!

There is no other way to put it right now, I am pissed at his doctor. She should have been keeping up on the latest studies, and stopped the aspirin regiment. I feel like she wrote him a prescription for an early death. He had a good many years left in him, I believe the aspirin use cut that short.

I am not looking for money, if I could sue to bring him back, I would. Can't be done, I know. Even if I could sue for an apology and acknowledgement that she did wrong by him, I would accept that.

Is there anything I can legally look into, or is it a lost cause. I had not even considered anything like this till I heard that report yesterday.

 

[LdiJ]

I do not see how aspirin could be connected to an anureism. Now, aspirin does thin the blood and make it less likely to clot, so I could see it perhaps making a burst aneurism worse, but I am not sure I see how it could cause one in the first place.

 

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state? NY

My father suddenly passed away one month ago yesterday. He was 77 and in pretty good health. He died of a major brain anurism.

I know these things happen. Although not OK with it, I understood that nothing could be done. The brain bleed was just too severe.

He was on a daily aspirin regiment for at least the last 5 years. Although he did have some heart problems, he never had a heart attack, and actually no major problems from it that caused any issues with daily life.

Yesterday I read a new study found that unless the patient has had a heart attack, the dangers of daily aspirin use outweigh the benefits. One of the dangers was an increased risk of inter-cranial bleeding. This made me look into it further.

Turns out that this was not the first study with such a conclusion. In the past couple of years at least 2 other studies have come to the same conclusion. A study from the UK said that 3000 people there a year die because of the aspirin regiment. It also went on to say that patients over the age of 75 had a 10 times increase of death from a bleed associated with aspirin use! 10 times!!

There is no other way to put it right now, I am pissed at his doctor. She should have been keeping up on the latest studies, and stopped the aspirin regiment. I feel like she wrote him a prescription for an early death. He had a good many years left in him, I believe the aspirin use cut that short.

I am not looking for money, if I could sue to bring him back, I would. Can't be done, I know. Even if I could sue for an apology and acknowledgement that she did wrong by him, I would accept that.

Is there anything I can legally look into, or is it a lost cause. I had not even considered anything like this till I heard that report yesterday.

Was it a low dose of asprin? ie...baby asprin?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

I believe the report you study you are talking about was JUST released. There is no way the Dr. knew about it much sooner than you did.

An low dose aspirin is widely prescribed.

 

[mrrcsound]

I do not see how aspirin could be connected to an anureism. Now, aspirin does thin the blood and make it less likely to clot, so I could see it perhaps making a burst aneurism worse, but I am not sure I see how it could cause one in the first place.

Correct. Maybe I should have been more clear on that. The anurism has nothing to do with the aspirin. However, the bleed may have been survivable, and could have been operated on if it had not spread so quickly. They said it was a large fast bleed. The point I am trying to make is that studies have shown that patients over the age of 75 who are on aspirin, and have not had a heart attack, have a 10x increased chance of death from bleeds, including anurisms, regardless of location. I feel the doctor should have known this, been up on her studies, and taken him off the aspirin as it really was not needed.

 

[mrrcsound]

I believe the report you study you are talking about was JUST released. There is no way the Dr. knew about it much sooner than you did.

An low dose aspirin is widely prescribed.

Yes, this one was. There have been at least 2 others I have found though in the last few years that came to the same conclusion. Let me see if I can find them.

Here is the 2017 study, which showed that aspirin may be causing 3000 bleeding deaths in the UK each year. How many does that equate to in the US? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/13/daily-aspirin-behind-3000-deaths-year-study-suggests/

More info on that same study. http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-06-13-long-term-aspirin-use-linked-bleeding-risk-over-75s

A study from 2010 showing the same thing!!!! https://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-04-2010/can_an_aspirin_do_more_harm_than_good.html

 

[xylene]

I'm so sorry for you loss.

Based on the facts you have presented, you have no case against the doctor. He does not seem to be violating the standard of care.

Population risk studies don't change individual patient assessments made by a physician for a specific patient.

Aspirin is one of the most widely used drugs. It is an OTC drug well established as safe. The risk of bleeding has to be weighed against other risks and benefits. Physicians are rightly very concerned about heart attacks becuase the North American Diet and its consequences are well established to be a major heart attack risk.

If you wish to pursue this I suggest you get a detailed review of your father's medical records by an independent physician and a malpractice lawyer. I wouldn't put to much hope on a different conclusion. If no such lawyer is willing to take the case on contingency it should tell you you don't have much of a case.

I am not looking for money

I'm sorry but that is all you would get in the case of a win.

If you want to champion this cause, you should do so. Opinions about this therapy are changing, and people's stories can have an impact.

 

[mrrcsound]

I'm so sorry for you loss.

Based on the facts you have presented, you have no case against the doctor. He does not seem to be violating the standard of care.

Population risk studies don't change individual patient assessments made by a physician for a specific patient.

Aspirin is one of the most widely used drugs. It is an OTC drug well established as safe. The risk of bleeding has to be weighed against other risks and benefits. Physicians are rightly very concerned about heart attacks becuase the North American Diet and its consequences are well established to be a major heart attack risk.

If you wish to pursue this I suggest you get a detailed review of your father's medical records by an independent physician and a malpractice lawyer. I wouldn't put to much hope on a different conclusion. If no such lawyer is willing to take the case on contingency it should tell you you don't have much of a case.



I'm sorry but that is all you would get in the case of a win.

If you want to champion this cause, you should do so. Opinions about this therapy are changing, and people's stories can have an impact.

Thank you! I just contacted a local lawyer to see what he says. Most likely you are correct, and I am sure that is the response I will get.

Still, I can't help but feeling this was a major contributor to his death. The only use for a monetary compensation would be to help care for my now widowed mother. More than anything, I want this doctor to become aware of this, to maybe stop aspirin treatment with her patients. I highly doubt she would listen to me, although I have not had direct communications with her, the things I have heard about her have not impressed me.

Thank you all!

 

[Zigner]

Yes, this one was. There have been at least 2 others I have found though in the last few years that came to the same conclusion. Let me see if I can find them.

Here is the 2017 study, which showed that aspirin may be causing 3000 bleeding deaths in the UK each year. How many does that equate to in the US? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/13/daily-aspirin-behind-3000-deaths-year-study-suggests/

More info on that same study. http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-06-13-long-term-aspirin-use-linked-bleeding-risk-over-75s

A study from 2010 showing the same thing!!!! https://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-04-2010/can_an_aspirin_do_more_harm_than_good.html

My condolences for your loss. The links you have posted are not studies, and they do not speak to your father's apparent cause of death. If you wish, seek out legal advice, as stated above.

 

[xylene]

I have not had direct communications with her, the things I have heard about her have not impressed me.

You can expect that people you clearly intend to sue will not be very forthcoming.

Do you have an autopsy report? Do you have any medical corroboration that aspirin was a factor in the death?

 

[mrrcsound]

You can expect that people you clearly intend to sue will not be very forthcoming.

Do you have an autopsy report? Do you have any medical corroboration that aspirin was a factor in the death?

No autopsy was done. No corroboration, not even sure where to start.

Probably nothing to be done here, but I thought I would ask anyway. I will see what the local lawyer says.

Maybe it is just part of the grieving process... I had kept telling my mother no one was to blame (she kept blaming herself), for the last month. I felt like it was just one of those things no one could do anything about. That was until yesterday when I read the new study. Then looking into it, there have been other studies and reports for years. It has made me angry at the doctor. Again, maybe it is misguided grief, I don't know. Maybe I am just lashing out, looking for someone to blame, but at this moment in time all the hurt is back, plus anger.

 

[Just Blue]

No autopsy was done. No corroboration, not even sure where to start.

Probably nothing to be done here, but I thought I would ask anyway. I will see what the local lawyer says.

Maybe it is just part of the grieving process... I had kept telling my mother no one was to blame (she kept blaming herself), for the last month. I felt like it was just one of those things no one could do anything about. That was until yesterday when I read the new study. Then looking into it, there have been other studies and reports for years. It has made me angry at the doctor. Again, maybe it is misguided grief, I don't know. Maybe I am just lashing out, looking for someone to blame, but at this moment in time all the hurt is back, plus anger.

It does seem to be misguided grief...I know how you feel. My Dad died very suddenly while in rehab after 6 weeks in ICU for bacterial pneumonia (sp?)...He was doing well....and then he was dead. Anger is a natural reaction to the sudden loss of someone you love. I'm very sorry this happened and I wish you and your family the very best.

 

[adjusterjack]

I will see what the local lawyer says.

Good idea, even if it comes to naught.

My father died at the age of 83 from hospital malpractice. Somebody screwed something up and they tried to hide the records. My mother collected $75,000. Unfortunately, the older you get the less money your life is worth so it was only a slap on the wrist for the hospital.

I know, totally different situation.

No way to predict if your situation goes that way, but it's a good idea to investigate the possibilities, even if it's just to satisfy yourself.

 

[cbg]

Almost exactly a year ago (it will be a year on October 4) my father, who was himself a physician, suffered a blood clot that was blocking the blood and oxygen flow to the brain. There is a drug that is 94% effective in dissolving such clots, but is fatal in the other 6%. My father made the decision on his own to gamble on being part of the 94%; instead he proved to be part of the 6% and passed away a few hours later. But he knew the odds and while he was having trouble with speech, was still able to comprehend and make the decisions for his own medical care. There was nothing to say that he would be part of the 6% instead of the 94%. Medical science has not yet been able to determine who is at risk and who is not. We're just not there yet. He made the best decision he could with the facts available to him, even knowing that taking the drug could kill him.

His father also died at the age of 87 of a major brain aneurysm, which no one even knew was there. I remember my grandfather well; he just one day wasn't feeling well and died that same day. We had no warning. There are dozens of things that can cause an aneurysm to burst; it's simply not possible to tie it to one and say, This, this is what caused it.

I'm sorry for your loss and I understand your anger. But I do not think you'll find the doctor to be found responsible - she made the best decision she could with the facts available to her.

 

[Zigner]

My mother also passed due to a brain aneurysm. The location of the aneurysm was such that there could be no surgical intervention. She was a month short of her 50th birthday.