{"id":20938,"date":"2022-04-18T18:22:47","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T18:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/?p=20938"},"modified":"2022-04-22T16:40:42","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T16:40:42","slug":"plavix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/medicines\/plavix\/","title":{"rendered":"Plavix &#8211; Clopidogrel uses, dose and side effects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>75 mg&nbsp;film-coated tablets<br>clopidogrel<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Plavix is \u200b\u200band what it is used for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Plavix contains clopidogrel and belongs to a group of medicines called platelet inhibitors.\u00a0Platelets\u00a0are very small cells in the blood, which form\u00a0clots\u00a0(clots) during\u00a0coagulation\u00a0of the blood (blood clotting).\u00a0By preventing this\u00a0clot\u00a0formation, platelet inhibitors reduce the risk of blood clots forming (a process called\u00a0thrombosis\u00a0or blood clot formation).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plavix is \u200b\u200bused by adults to prevent the formation of blood clots (\u00a0thrombi\u00a0) in atherosclerotic blood vessels (\u00a0arteries\u00a0), a process called\u00a0atherothrombosis, which can lead to atherothrombotic events (such as stroke,\u00a0heart attack, or death).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have been given Plavix to prevent the formation of blood clots and to reduce the risk of these serious events due to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>You suffer from atherosclerosis (also known as atherosclerosis), and<\/li><li>You have previously had a heart attack, stroke, or are suffering from something called\u00a0peripheral\u00a0arterial\u00a0disease, or<\/li><li>You have had severe angina (\u00a0unstable angina\u00a0) or a heart attack (heart attack).\u00a0To treat this condition, your doctor may have placed a\u00a0stent\u00a0in the blocked or narrowed blood vessel to restore effective blood flow.\u00a0You can also get\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/medicines\/tiplo-citrus\/\">acetylsalicylic acid<\/a>\u00a0(a substance found in many medicines used to relieve pain and lower fever and in addition to prevent the formation of blood clots) by your doctor.<\/li><li>You have had signs of a\u00a0stroke\u00a0that disappears within a shorter period (also called a\u00a0transient\u00a0ischemic attack,\u00a0TIA\u00a0attack\/mini-stroke) or a mild ischemic\u00a0stroke.\u00a0You can also get\u00a0acetylsalicylic acid\u00a0from your doctor within the first 24 hours.<\/li><li>You have an irregular heartbeat, something called\u00a0atrial fibrillation, and you can not take blood-thinning drugs that are taken orally (vitamin K\u00a0antagonists\u00a0) that prevent new blood clots from forming and prevent existing blood clots from growing.\u00a0You should have learned that blood-thinning drugs taken orally are more effective than\u00a0acetylsalicylic acid\u00a0or the combination of Plavix and\u00a0acetylsalicylic acid\u00a0for this disease.\u00a0Your doctor should have given you Plavix and\u00a0acetylsalicylic acid\u00a0if you can not take blood-thinning medicines orally and you are not at risk of heavy bleeding.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What you need to know before taking Plavix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do not take Plavix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to clopidogrel or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)<\/li><li>If you suffer from any disease that causes you to have active bleeding, such as.\u00a0gastric ulcer\u00a0or bleeding in the brain<\/li><li>If you suffer from severe liver disease<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any of these symptoms or if you have any further questions, ask your doctor before taking Plavix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Warnings and cautions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If any of the following apply to you, you should inform your doctor before taking Plavix:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>if you are at risk of bleeding such as:<ul><li>a disease that puts you at risk for internal bleeding (such as\u00a0stomach ulcers\u00a0)<\/li><li>a blood disease that puts you at risk of internal bleeding (in the body&#8217;s\u00a0tissues, organs, or joints)<\/li><li>a recent serious injury<\/li><li>a recent surgery (including dental surgery)<\/li><li>a planned operation (including dental operations) within the next week<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>if you have had a blockage in an\u00a0artery\u00a0in your brain (ischemic\u00a0stroke\u00a0) that occurred within the last week<\/li><li>if you suffer from kidney or liver disease<\/li><li>if you have had an\u00a0allergy\u00a0or reaction to other medicines to treat your illness<\/li><li>if you have previously had non-traumatic cerebral hemorrhage (ie not caused by external influences such as severe violence to the head)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While taking Plavix:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>You should inform your doctor if surgery (including dental surgery) is planned.<\/li><li>You should also inform your doctor immediately if you develop a medical condition (also known as Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura or TTP) that includes fever and bruising under the skin that may occur as red pin-sized dots, with or without unexplained severe weakness, confusion, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice) (see section 4 \u201cPossible side effects\u201d).<\/li><li>If you cut or injure yourself, it may take longer than usual for the bleeding to stop.&nbsp;This is linked to how your medicine works because it prevents the formation of blood clots.&nbsp;This normally has no significance for minor cuts and injuries such as.&nbsp;if you cut yourself when shaving.&nbsp;However, if you are concerned about your bleeding, contact your doctor immediately (see section 4 \u201cPossible side effects\u201d).<\/li><li>Your doctor may order blood tests.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Children and young people<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not give this medicine to children as it will not help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other medicines and Plavix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.<br>Some other medicines may affect the use of Plavix or vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You must tell your doctor if you are taking<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>medicines that may increase your risk of bleeding such as:<ul><li>blood-thinning drugs taken orally, drugs used to reduce the formation of blood clots<\/li><li>non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (\u00a0NSAIDs\u00a0), commonly used to treat painful and\/or inflammatory conditions in muscles and joints<\/li><li>heparin\u00a0or any other drug that is injected to reduce the formation of blood clots<\/li><li>ticlopidine, another antiplatelet agent<\/li><li>selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (including but not limited to\u00a0fluoxetine\u00a0or fluvoxamine), medicines commonly used to treat depression<\/li><li>rifampicin (used to treat severe\u00a0infections\u00a0)<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>omeprazole or esomeprazole, medicines used to treat stomach problems<\/li><li>fluconazole&nbsp;or voriconazole, medicines used to treat fungal infections<\/li><li>efavirenz or other antiretroviral medicines (used to treat&nbsp;HIV&nbsp;(human immunodeficiency virus)&nbsp;infections&nbsp;)<\/li><li>carbamazepine, a drug used to treat various forms of&nbsp;epilepsy<\/li><li>moclobemide, a medicine used to treat depression<\/li><li>repaglinide, a medicine used to treat&nbsp;diabetes<\/li><li>paclitaxel, a medicine used to treat cancer<\/li><li>opioids: when you are being treated with clopidogrel, you should inform your doctor before receiving opioids&nbsp;(&nbsp;used to treat severe pain)<\/li><li>rosuvastatin (used to lower your cholesterol).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have had severe chest pain (\u00a0unstable angina\u00a0or heart attack),\u00a0transient\u00a0ischemic attack (\u00a0TIA\u00a0attack\/mini-stroke), or mild ischemic\u00a0stroke, you can be prescribed Plavix in combination with\u00a0acetylsalicylic acid, a substance found in many medicines used to treat relieve pain and lower fever.\u00a0Temporary use of\u00a0acetylsalicylic acid\u00a0(not more than 1000 mg for 24 hours) is not generally considered a problem, but long-term use in other conditions should be discussed with your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plavix with food and drink<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Plavix can be taken with or without food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pregnancy and breastfeeding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This medicine should preferably not be taken during pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor or pharmacist before taking Plavix.&nbsp;If you become pregnant while taking Plavix, contact your doctor immediately as it is not recommended to take clopidogrel during pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should not breastfeed while taking this medicine.<br>If you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk to your doctor before taking this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Driving and using machines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Plavix is \u200b\u200bunlikely to affect your ability to drive or use machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plavix contains lactose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars (eg&nbsp;lactose&nbsp;), contact your doctor before taking this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Plavix contains hydrogenated castor oil<\/strong><br>This may cause stomach upset or diarrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to take Plavix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you.&nbsp;Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The recommended\u00a0dose, including for patients with a condition called\u00a0atrial fibrillation\u00a0(irregular heartbeat), is a 75 mg tablet of Plavix per day taken orally, with or without food, and at the same time each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have had severe chest pain (\u00a0unstable angina\u00a0or heart attack), your doctor may give you Plavix 300 mg or 600 mg (one or two tablets of 300 mg or 4 or 8 tablets of 75 mg) to start treatment.\u00a0After this, the recommended\u00a0dose\u00a0is 75 mg of Plavix per day as described above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have had a sign of a\u00a0stroke\u00a0that disappears within a short period (also called a\u00a0transient\u00a0ischemic attack,\u00a0TIA\u00a0attack\/mini-stroke) or a mild ischemic\u00a0stroke, your doctor may give you Plavix 300 mg (1 tablet of 300 mg or 4 tablets of 75 mg) as a starting dose.\u00a0Thereafter, the recommended\u00a0dose\u00a0is one tablet of Plavix 75 mg daily together with acetylsalicylic acid for 3 weeks, as described above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After that, your doctor may&nbsp;prescribe&nbsp;either Plavix alone or acetylsalicylic acid only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should take Plavix for as long as your doctor prescribes it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you take more Plavix than you should<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Contact your doctor or the nearest hospital emergency department due to the increased risk of bleeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you forget to take Plavix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you forget to take a&nbsp;dose of&nbsp;Plavix and discover it within 12 hours, take the tablet as soon as you notice and take the next tablet at the usual time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it takes more than 12 hours before you discover it, simply take the next daily\u00a0dose\u00a0at the usual time.\u00a0Do not take a double\u00a0dose\u00a0to make up for a forgotten tablet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For pack sizes of 7, 14, 28, and 84 tablets, you can check which day you last took a Plavix tablet by looking at the calendar printed on the pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you stop taking Plavix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Do not stop treatment unless your doctor tells you to.&nbsp;<\/strong>Contact a doctor or pharmacist before stopping treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Possible side effects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Like all medicines, this medicine can cause\u00a0side effects, although not everybody gets them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Contact your doctor immediately if you have:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>fever, signs of\u00a0infection,\u00a0or severe weakness.\u00a0This may be due to a rare decrease in certain\u00a0blood cells.<\/li><li>signs of liver problems such as yellowing of the skin and\/or eyes (jaundice), with or without concomitant small punctate hemorrhages under the skin (visible as red dots), and\/or confusion (see section 2 \u201cWarnings and precautions\u201d).<\/li><li>swelling of the mouth or skin problems such as rash and\u00a0itching, blisters on the skin.\u00a0This may be a sign of an\u00a0allergic reaction.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The most common\u00a0side effect\u00a0reported with Plavix\u00a0is \u200b\u200bbleeding.\u00a0<\/strong>Bleeding can occur as bleeding in the stomach or intestines, bruising, hematoma (unusual bleeding or bruising under the skin), nosebleeds, and blood in the urine.\u00a0In a few cases, bleeding in the eye, and internal bleeding in the head, lungs, or joints have also been reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you experience prolonged bleeding while taking Plavix<\/strong><br>If you cut or injure yourself, it may take longer than usual for the bleeding to stop.&nbsp;This is linked to how your medicine works because it prevents the formation of blood clots.&nbsp;This normally has no significance for minor cuts and injuries such as.&nbsp;if you cut yourself when shaving.&nbsp;However, if you are concerned about your bleeding, contact your doctor immediately (see section 2 &#8220;Warnings and precautions&#8221;).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Other\u00a0side effects\u00a0include:<\/strong><br>Common\u00a0side effects\u00a0(may affect up to 1 in 10 people): Diarrhea, abdominal pain, indigestion, or heartburn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Uncommon\u00a0side effects\u00a0(may affect up to 1 in 100 people): Headache,\u00a0stomach ulcer, vomiting, nausea, constipation, increased gas in the stomach or intestines, rash,\u00a0itching, dizziness, tingling, and numbness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rare&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people): Dizziness, enlarged breasts in men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very rare\u00a0side effects\u00a0(may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients): Jaundice, severe abdominal pain with or without back pain, fever, difficulty breathing sometimes with cough, generalized (widespread) allergic reactions (eg a feeling of heat with sudden discomfort until fainting), swelling in the mouth, blisters on the skin, skin allergy, mouth pain (\u00a0stomatitis\u00a0), decrease in\u00a0blood pressure, confusion, hallucinations, joint pain, muscle aches, taste changes, loss of taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adverse reactions&nbsp;that have been reported (occurring in an unknown number of users):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hypersensitivity reaction&nbsp;you with chest pain or abdominal pain, signs of persistent low blood sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, your doctor may detect changes in your blood or urine tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to store Plavix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep out of sight and reach of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and the blister after EXP.<br>The expiration date is the last day of the specified month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See storage instructions on the box.<br>Store below 30 \u00b0 C if Plavix is \u200b\u200bsold in PVC \/ PVDC \/ aluminum blisters.<br>No special storage instructions for Plavix are sold in blisters made of aluminum only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not use this medicine if you notice any visible signs of deterioration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste.&nbsp;Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required.&nbsp;These measures will help to protect the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contents of the pack and other information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Content declaration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The active substance is clopidogrel.&nbsp;Each tablet contains 75 mg of clopidogrel (as hydrogen sulphate).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other ingredients are (see section 2 &#8220;Plavix contains lactose&#8221; and &#8220;Plavix contains hydrogenated castor oil&#8221;):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Tablet core: mannitol (E421), hydrogenated castor oil, microcrystalline cellulose, macrogol 6000, and low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose<\/li><li>Tablet coating:\u00a0lactose monohydrate\u00a0(milk sugar), hypromellose (E464), triacetin (E1518), red iron oxide (E172), and titanium dioxide (E171)<\/li><li>Polish: carnauba wax.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the medicine looks like and the contents of the pack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Plavix 75 mg film-coated tablets are round, biconvex, pink, and marked with the number &#8220;75&#8221; on one side and the number &#8220;1171&#8221; on the other side.\u00a0Plavix is \u200b\u200bsold in packages (cardboard boxes) that contain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>7, 14, 28, 30, 84, 90 and 100 tablets in blisters of PVC \/ PVDC \/ aluminum or just aluminum<\/li><li>50&#215;1 tablets in single-dose blisters of PVC \/ PVDC \/ aluminum or just aluminum.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all pack sizes may be marketed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Marketing Authorization Holder :<br>sanofi-aventis groupe&nbsp;<br>54, rue La Bo\u00e9tie &#8211; F-75008 Paris &#8211; France<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Manufacturers:<br>Sanofi Winthrop Industrie<br>1, Rue de la Vierge, Ambar\u00e8s &amp; Lagrave, F-33565&nbsp;Carbon&nbsp;Blanc cedex, France<br>or<br>Sanofi-Synthelabo Limited,<br>Edgefield Avenue, Fawdon<br>Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne &amp; Wear NE3 3TT, UK<br>or<br>Delpharm Dijon<br>6, Boulevard de l&#8217;Europe, F-21800 Qu\u00e9tigny, France<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>or<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sanofi Srl<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Strada Statale 17, Km 22<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>67019 Scoppito (AQ) &#8211; Italy<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>or<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sanofi Winthrop Industry<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>30-36 avenue Gustave Eiffel<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>37100 Tours<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>France<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Further information on this medicine can be obtained from the representative of the marketing authorization holder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sanofi AB<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tel: +46 (0) 8 634 50 00<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plavix contains clopidogrel and belongs to a group of medicines called platelet inhibitors. Platelets are very small cells in the blood, which form clots (clots) during coagulation of the blood (blood clotting). By preventing this clot formation , platelet inhibitors reduce the risk of blood clots forming (a process called thrombosis or blood clot formation).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2200,18527],"tags":[6906,6908,6909,21494,21498,21497,14004,6907,21495,21496],"class_list":["post-20938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-medicines","category-p","tag-clopidogrel","tag-clopidogrel-side-effects","tag-clopidogrel-tablet","tag-plavix","tag-plavix-side-effects","tag-plavix-tablet","tag-what-clopidogrel-is-used-for","tag-what-is-clopidogrel","tag-what-is-plavix","tag-what-plavix-is-used-for"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20938"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20998,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20938\/revisions\/20998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}