CEDAR GROVE, N.J. — Advent Consumer Healthcare has begun rolling out its At Heart emergency aspirin dispenser at major drug store chains nationwide.

Advent said Wednesday that the patented At Heart dispenser is designed to provide the fastest possible access to an emergency dose of aspirin. Each dispenser contains two blister-sealed, 325-mg aspirin tablets with a three-year expiration date. The device measures just three inches, so it can be conveniently carried on a keychain or in a pocket or a purse, the company noted.

"One of the most powerful and important medications for the treatment of a heart attack is aspirin," Frank Alvino, founder and chief executive officer of Cedar Grove, N.J.-based Advent, said in a statement. "National distribution of At Heart emergency aspirin dispensers will factor significantly in our ongoing efforts to raise consumers’ awareness of the risk factors and warning signs of heart attack, as well as what to do should those warning signs occur."

According to Advent, each year about 1 million Americans will suffer a first or recurrent heart attack, and roughly 500,000 won’t survive it. The company said the American Heart Association recommends that people immediately call 911 and begin chewing one regular-strength aspirin tablet at the first onset of chest pain or other heart attack symptoms.

Numerous studies have shown that chewing an aspirin at the first sign of a heart attack as directed by a physician can significantly improve the chance of survival, yet aspirin remains largely underutilized, Advent noted.

"We applaud Advent Consumer Healthcare for developing At Heart," commented Pamela Serure, co-founder and executive director of Events of the Heart, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating women about heart disease. "By enabling quick and easy access to a simple aspirin tablet, At Heart is a critical lifesaving tool that will empower consumers by helping them manage the potentially devastating impacts of heart events."