Aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), popularly used as a painkiller and anti-inflammatory. Increasingly, the salutary effects of ASA are also being reported for other ailments, including cardiovascular disease - the medicine protects against heart attacks caused by medical conditions (e.g. angina pectoris, acute coronary insufficiency). Bottom line: people who take aspirin regularly can avoid a myocardial infarction or stroke.