What measure can help prevent aspirin's most common side effect?

Aspirin is known to cause gastrointestinal irritation and potential bleeding as its most common side effect. Administering aspirin along with food is an effective measure to help mitigate these risks. When taken with food, the presence of the food in the stomach can help buffer the acidic nature of aspirin, thereby reducing irritation to the stomach lining and digestive tract. This approach also slows the absorption of the medication, which can help further lessen the chance of gastrointestinal upset.

While administering aspirin in crushed form might aid in easier swallowing, it does not specifically target the prevention of gastrointestinal issues. Timing between doses, such as ensuring it is given no more often than every five hours, helps to avoid overdose or excessive medication levels in the system but does not address the issue of irritation. Giving aspirin on an empty stomach is actually likely to increase the risk of stomach upset and bleeding, as there would be no food present to buffer the medication. Thus, providing aspirin with food is the most effective way to reduce its common side effects related to gastrointestinal distress.