Over the past five years, we have been getting more referrals from cardiologists at Methodist and St. Luke’s asking us to
desensitize their patients to aspirin. There has not been an increase in aspirin allergy, but new cardiac stents that could save a
patient the risk of open heart surgery recommend that you take aspirin afterwards to help keep the stent open. In the past,
aspirin desensitization was done only in the hospital. Now, however, the medical literature states that it is safe to desensitize
aspirin patients in a physician’s office. Interestingly, when we received the first call from cardiology practices, they were delighted
to find an allergist, who would do this procedure. It is very time consuming and does not pay well, plus it is not without risk; that is
my guess as to why more allergists do not feel comfortable performing aspirin desensitization. One of our favorite phone calls to
make is to the referring cardiologist at the end of the day, telling them that the patient has successfully been desensitized to
aspirin. The best reply back was a backhanded compliment: “You just saved this lady open heart surgery. Not bad for an
allergist.”
There are actually two completely distinct ways to become allergic to aspirin. Aspirin causes asthma in many people, and causes
hives in others. Besides cardiac reasons, we have also performed aspirin desensitization to help people with arthritis be able to
take effective pain medications. If you or your loved ones are allergic to aspirin and would like to treat that allergy, we will be
happy to help out. We have met a lot of interesting patients this way and they often refer family members for treatment of routine
allergies to us. The comment we frequently hear is that if we are qualified enough to desensitize aspirin allergy, we can certainly
handle headaches, stuffy noses, and sneezing.
desensitize their patients to aspirin. There has not been an increase in aspirin allergy, but new cardiac stents that could save a
patient the risk of open heart surgery recommend that you take aspirin afterwards to help keep the stent open. In the past,
aspirin desensitization was done only in the hospital. Now, however, the medical literature states that it is safe to desensitize
aspirin patients in a physician’s office. Interestingly, when we received the first call from cardiology practices, they were delighted
to find an allergist, who would do this procedure. It is very time consuming and does not pay well, plus it is not without risk; that is
my guess as to why more allergists do not feel comfortable performing aspirin desensitization. One of our favorite phone calls to
make is to the referring cardiologist at the end of the day, telling them that the patient has successfully been desensitized to
aspirin. The best reply back was a backhanded compliment: “You just saved this lady open heart surgery. Not bad for an
allergist.”
There are actually two completely distinct ways to become allergic to aspirin. Aspirin causes asthma in many people, and causes
hives in others. Besides cardiac reasons, we have also performed aspirin desensitization to help people with arthritis be able to
take effective pain medications. If you or your loved ones are allergic to aspirin and would like to treat that allergy, we will be
happy to help out. We have met a lot of interesting patients this way and they often refer family members for treatment of routine
allergies to us. The comment we frequently hear is that if we are qualified enough to desensitize aspirin allergy, we can certainly
handle headaches, stuffy noses, and sneezing.
The Allergy Clinic
Specialists in Allergy & Asthma Care
Specialists in Allergy & Asthma Care
ASPIRIN ALLERGY
