Should I be concerned about bleeding if I'm taking aspirin?

Aspirin disarms the clotting function of a platelet for the life of that platelet. Platelets regenerate every seven to ten days, and you need to constrain six-sevenths of the platelets to receive the benefit to the arteries. In general, one aspirin a day is not enough to inhibit clotting seriously, so don't let fears about cuts not healing or bleeding ulcers stop you from taking it. The one-a-day dosage keeps the clotting of platelets at a constant low, usually without affecting normal clotting when you need it. However, if you're facing major surgery, let your doctor know about your aspirin therapy. He or she might recommend discontinuing aspirin two or three days before the surgery, just to make sure your platelet system will be adequate for clotting. However, most data now suggest a lower risk of adverse effects after surgery if you continue to take aspirin even the morning of surgery, even heart surgery. That seems to be because many of the adverse effects after surgery are associated with the inflammation that aspirin diminishes.