12 Sep 2025 : Cardiovascular surgeon Dr Jeremy London took to Instagram on September 9 to advise people who suspect they are experiencing a heart attack. In the video he posted, Dr London shared a specific emergency action – he strongly recommended chewing a 325 mg aspirin rather than swallowing it, explaining that this method allows for quicker absorption into the bloodstream.
Taking aspirin for heart attack can be life-saving
Dr London explained how aspirin works by inhibiting clot formation, which is crucial during a heart attack, where a clot obstructs blood flow to the heart muscle, and said: “If you think you’re having a heart attack, this one step could save your life. Chew, don’t swallow a 325 mg aspirin. When you chew it, it gets into your bloodstream faster. Now, aspirin doesn’t treat the heart attack directly. What it does is inhibit clot formation, and that’s the critical step because during a heart attack, a clot is blocking blood flow to part of your heart muscle. By chewing that aspirin, it can help prevent more clot from forming, which limits the size of the heart attack.”
Chewing aspirin can be the difference between life and death
Dr London also included important caveats for people with allergies, bleeding issues, or medical contraindications to aspirin use. He explained the time-sensitive nature of this intervention, highlighting its potential to limit heart muscle damage and significantly reduce mortality.
He said, “But an important caution, if you’re allergic to aspirin, if you have bleeding issues, or if a health care professional has told you not to take an aspirin, then of course avoid this step. For everyone else, the benefit is greatest when taken within 1 to 4 hours of symptom onset. And this translates directly into heart muscle saved. Aspirin in this setting results in about a 23 percent reduction in vascular deaths and all-cause mortality both in the short term and in the long term.”
He added, “So remember, time equals heart muscle saved. And something as simple as chewing an aspirin can literally be the difference between life and death. Please share this post because everyone should know this simple but critical step.”
Click here to learn about 10 signs of heart disease you ignore but should not – irregular heartbeat, swollen feet, jaw pain and more– shared by a cardiologist.
Summary: A cardiovascular surgeon advised that chewing an aspirin tablet during early heart attack symptoms could help save lives by thinning blood and restoring blood flow quickly.