Drug Name

Plavix (Clopidogrel)

Drug Uses

Clopidogrel is utilized to prevent strokes and core attacks in persons who are at tall risk. In one large swot, clopidogrel was more remarkable than aspirin in reducing resolution attacks. The frequency of side effects of clopidogrel was equivalent to aspirin; however, corporation and intestinal bleeding in all probability occurs less time after time with clopidogrel than with aspirin.

How to use

Scram clopidogrel exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not commiserate with these instructions, ask your posologist, nurse, or doctor to detail them to you. Take each portion with a full drinking-glass of water. Clopidogrel can be bewitched with or without eatables.

Drug Class and Mechanism

Clopidogrel is an anti-platelet analgesic, that is, a drug that inhibits the genius of platelets to clump together as some of a blood clot. It is compare favourably with to ticlopidine (Ticlid) in chemical formation and in the way it works. Unlike ticlopidine, clopidogrel does not ground serious reductions of corpse-like cells in the blood and, wherefore, routine blood testing to upon if the white blood chamber count is low is not necessary during treatment. The peril of heart attacks and strokes (which all things considered are caused by blood clots) is increased in patients with a brand-new history of stroke or centre attack and patients with inessential vascular disease. (Unimportant vascular disease is the notwithstanding as atherosclerotic arterial ailment or \\"hardening\\" of the arteries in which the arteries happen to narrowed. It frequently occurs in the legs and commonly causes claudication or torment in the legs upon walking). Clopidogrel is inured to to reduce the risk of heartlessness attacks and strokes in these patients. Clopidogrel was approved by

Missed Dose

Operative the missed dose as happily as you remember. However, if it is wellnigh time for the next dosage, skip the missed amount and take only the next regularly scheduled portion. Do not take a double portion of this medication.

Storage

Tablets should be stored at allowance temperature, 15-30 degrees C (59-86 degrees F), away from moisture and fervour.

Warnings/Precautions

Barrow your doctor and dentist that you are delightful this medication ahead of having any surgical procedures. Do not kill aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, others), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), ketoprofen (Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), or other non-steroidal anti-revolutionary medications (NSAIDs) without start talking to your doctor. It may surprise longer than routine for you to stop bleeding, rhythmical from minor wounds. Determine your doctor in the matter of any unusual bleeding or bruising that you feel. Studies in rats make shown that clopidogrel appears in titty milk; however, it is not known whether it also appears in person breast milk. Because of a possibility for side effects in the nursing infant, the physician be obliged weigh the potential benefits and imaginable risks before prescribing clopidogrel in nursing mothers.

Possible Side Effects

The tolerability of clopidogrel is nearly the same to that of aspirin. Diarrhea, outbreak, or itching occurs in give 1 in 20 persons winsome clopidogrel. Abdominal woe also occurs in almost 1 in 20 persons, but it is less innumerable than with aspirin. Ticlopidine (Ticlid) is an antiplatelet medication altogether similar to clopidogrel. It has been associated with a inhuman reduction in white blood cubicle count in between 0.8% and 1% of persons. The endanger of this dangerous side implication with clopidogrel is around 0.04%, much less than with ticlopidine but twice that of aspirin. Clopidogrel scarcely ever causes a condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in one out of every 250,000 people. TTP is a sober condition in which blood clots pose throughout the body. Blood platelets, which participate in clotting, are consumed, and the development can be bleeding because adequacy platelets are no longer formerly larboard to allow blood to clot normally. For point of agreement, the related drug, ticlodipine (Ticlid), cau

More Information

• If you sagacity any of the following serious side effects, plug up taking clopidogrel and request emergency medical notice or notify your doctor in a second: an allergic compensation (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; protrusion of the lips, tongue, or eyeball to eyeball in defiance of; or hives); bloody (or dastardly) vomit or stools; painful headache, confusion, or dizziness; unexplained bruising or bleeding; or bleeding nose. Other, less dangerous side effects may be more inclined to to occur. Continue to continue clopidogrel and talk to your doctor if you event upset stomach; diarrhea or constipation; or pain in the arse or dizziness. Side effects other than those listed here may also hit. Talk to your doctor wide any side effect that seems odd or that is especially bothersome.