How should aspirin be administered to adults with chest pain?

Aspirin should be chewed and swallowed when administered to adults experiencing chest pain, particularly if a myocardial infarction (heart attack) is suspected. Chewing the aspirin increases the surface area exposed to the saliva and accelerates its absorption into the bloodstream, thereby facilitating a quicker onset of action. The rapid absorption is crucial during an acute cardiac event, as aspirin works to inhibit platelet aggregation and reduce clot formation, potentially minimizing heart damage.

The method of administration significantly influences the speed and efficacy of the medication. While some forms of medication can be swallowed whole or dissolved, aspirin's efficacy in this context is enhanced when it is chewed. This is why the other options, which suggest swallowing whole, dissolving under the tongue, or crushing it in water, would not achieve the same therapeutic effect as chewing would.