Q. During World War II in the Pacific, British and Australian medics were told to give soldiers aspirin as a substitute for quinine. They quickly learned that the problem of bad sunburns dropped noticeably. I thought you’d find this history interesting.

A. There is indeed evidence that aspirin can help protect the skin from ultraviolet damage. It is quite a bit more recent than WWII (Journal of Investigative Dermatology, January 2023).

Aspirin may help guard against sunburn, but dermatologists still warn people to use effective sunscreen or protective clothing as well. Chronic sun exposure can lead to photoaging (wrinkles), as well as skin cancers.

People who take aspirin appear to be at lower risk for basal cell skin cancers (World Journal of Oncology, December 2022).

Q. I took Lipitor for many years. Even though my LDL was only 70, I had plaque in my arteries that resulted in mild chest pain when walking uphill.

Eventually, I needed a quadruple bypass, and after the bypass, the Lipitor dose increased from 20 milligrams to 40 milligrams.

I got muscle pain in my legs, but the doctor could not determine the cause.

However, when I stopped the Lipitor, the pain went away. I now walk 4 miles every day and am in good health.

Notice that even with a low LDL, I had plaque in my arteries that necessitated a quadruple bypass. That’s why I question the connection between the level of LDL and plaque in the arteries. Who determined what level a person’s LDL cholesterol should be?

A. Ideal LDL cholesterol levels are included in guidelines issued by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology (Circulation, March 13, 2026).

As effective as statins are at lowering LDL cholesterol, they do not always keep plaque from clogging coronary arteries.

Some new research suggests that elevated levels of a different blood lipid, Lp(a) (lipoprotein a), may be at least as important as high LDL cholesterol levels when it comes to the development of high-risk plaque (European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, April 29, 2026). To learn more about other risk factors and ways to reduce them, you may wish to read our “eGuide to Cholesterol Control and Heart Health.”

This online resource is located under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Q. I took Astepro nasal spray, and it really revved up my restless legs syndrome. I was lucky to realize that was the problem.

Who would think a nasal spray would do such a thing? It is a rare but documented side effect.

A. Restless legs syndrome is an extremely uncomfortable urge to move the legs, usually in response to unpleasant sensations such as tingling or aches.

Older antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can make this phenomenon worse. Newer, nonsedating antihistamines such as azelastine (Astepro) are thought to be less likely to trigger this reaction. Nonetheless, some sensitive people like you may experience this problem.

The official prescribing information for Astepro acknowledges “involuntary muscle contractions” as an adverse effect noticed in the postmarketing period. We don’t know whether this might also refer to restless legs.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 300 W. 57th St., 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”