Aspirin advice: Coated vs. plain

Ask the doctor

Published: April, 2017


Image: © ironstealth/Thinkstock

Q. Ever since my heart attack, I've been taking a daily low-dose aspirin. I usually buy enteric-coated aspirin to reduce my risk of a stomach ulcer, but I read that coated aspirin may not be as effective as plain aspirin. What do you recommend?

A. Much of the aspirin sold in the United States is enteric-coated. Sometimes referred to as safety-coated, these smooth pills are designed to withstand stomach acid and pass through the stomach before fully dissolving in the small intestine (enteric comes from the Greek word for intestine).

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