Aspirin and Related Drugs (NSAIDs).

Selecting over-the-counter salicylates

Brand selection

Always read the ingredients listed on the label of other products, especially those for pain, headaches, and other types of discomfort. "Acetylsalicylic acid" or "salicylate" are the key ingredients to look for.

Not all aspirin or salicylate tablets are the same. They come in several forms that have been developed to be more convenient to take and, sometimes, to help avoid stomach distress. These include liquid forms, buffered tablets, tablets with a special coating (called enteric coating) that keeps them from dissolving in the stomach, and capsules or tablets that release aspirin very slowly into the bloodstream. There are also the other salicylates--the chemically modified types of aspirin--which are longer acting than aspirin and can be taken less often.

Non brand-name or generic aspirin usually costs less and works just as well as popular brands. The least expensive way to buy plain aspirin is in bottles of 1,000 tablets. If you tolerate a certain brand, stay with it. Differences in the way various tablets dissolve may cause some brands to irritate the stomach more than other brands.

Packaging

Safety regulations require that aspirin products, like all drugs sold without prescriptions, must be packaged in containers that are both tamper-resistant and child resistant. Unfortunately, these packages may be very difficult to open for people whose hands are affected by arthritis. There are, however, ways to overcome this problem.

Most aspirin producers offer one size that is not child-resistant (usually small sizes that aren't as economical as larger ones). If you have trouble opening the packaging or the container itself, ask the pharmacist or clerk to transfer the medicine to an easy-to-open container for you. Friends and family members can do the same.

Always keep aspirin and other medications safely out of reach of children to avoid accidental poisonings, which may be fatal.

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