Is long term use of clopidogrel safe?

Safety Announcement

[ 11-06-2015 ] A U.S. Food and Drug Administration

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The federal regulation of food, drugs, cosmetics, biologics, medical products and tobacco is legally mandated by acts of the United States Congress.

https://www.fda.gov › about-fda › fdas-legal-authority

FDA's Legal Authority

(FDA) review has determined that long-term use of the blood-thinning drug Plavix (clopidogrel) does not increase or decrease overall risk of death in patients with, or at risk for, heart disease.

Can you take clopidogrel for life?

Clopidogrel is generally safe to take for a long time. In fact, it works best if you take it for many months or even years. If you're at risk of getting a stomach ulcer, your doctor may prescribe a medicine to help protect your stomach while you're taking clopidogrel.

How long can you take clopidogrel for?

Clopidogrel and low-dose aspirin

The key question for your doctor is whether the benefits outweigh the extra risk. This combination treatment is prescribed for a limited period of time, usually up to a maximum of 12 months.

Should clopidogrel be taken long-term?

Take as directed

Clopidogrel oral tablet is used for long-term treatment. It comes with serious risks if you don't take it as prescribed. If you stop taking the drug or don't take it at all: You increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. These conditions can be fatal.

What is the most serious adverse effect of clopidogrel?

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

Antiplatelet Drugs: For How Long? Only After Stents? (Neal S. Kleiman, MD)

Is there an alternative to clopidogrel?

Ticagrelor and prasugrel are antiplatelet drugs that are alternatives to clopidogrel in acute coronary syndrome. Their advantages include reduced rates of ischaemia and stent thrombosis.

Which is safer aspirin or clopidogrel?

Aspirin combined with the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel is no better than aspirin alone for stroke prevention in people with a history of lacunar strokes, and the combination carries a greater risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, according to results of a trial funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Does clopidogrel affect the kidneys?

Conclusions. In summary, among patients hospitalized with ACS and treated with clopidogrel, lower levels of kidney function were associated with a greater risk of death, hospitalization for AMI, and major bleeding.

What are the side effects of long term use of Plavix?

Is clopidogrel 75 mg tablet a blood thinner?

Clopidogrel (Plavix) is a blood thinner that's used to prevent heart attack and stroke in people who are at higher risk for those events.

When is the best time to take clopidogrel 75 mg?

You can take clopidogrel at whatever time of day you find easiest to remember, but take your doses at the same time of day each day. Most people prefer to take it in the morning, as they find this helps them to remember to take it regularly. You can take the tablet either before or after a meal.

What should I monitor with clopidogrel?

HPR while on this drug is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events. The best assays to monitor clopidogrel therapy include VerifyNow and Multiplate ADP test.

Can clopidogrel make you tired?

Clopidogrel may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: excessive tiredness. headache.

Can clopidogrel cause brain hemorrhage?

Background-—Although clopidogrel reduces the incidence of atherothrombotic events, its use is associated with an increased risk of major bleeding. Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are indicative of subclinical microangiopathy in the brain and may prelude symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage.

Can you have a stroke while on clopidogrel?

Our study showed that more than half of the patients with aspirin failure were treated with clopidogrel-aspirin. In particular, a higher ESRS, which indicates an increased risk of recurrent stroke, was associated with the choice of clopidogrel-aspirin rather than aspirin.

Does clopidogrel reduce risk of stroke?

Combination antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin may reduce the rate of recurrent stroke during the first 3 months after a minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). A trial of combination antiplatelet therapy in a Chinese population has shown a reduction in the risk of recurrent stroke.

Does Plavix cause memory loss?

Some patients have no side effects, have had very good results with Plavix and even credit it with saving their lives. Others have had many different side effects, bruising, uncontrollable bleeding, memory loss, fatigue, swelling of hands and feet and many more.

What foods should you avoid while taking Plavix?

Does Plavix affect the liver?

Abstract. Liver damage is a rare side effect of clopidogrel. That is reversible in most cases. Considering the widespread use of this medication in cardiovascular diseases, the management of hepatotoxicity requires further meticulous investigation.

Is 150 mg of clopidogrel too much?

Conclusion: As compared with the currently recommended 75-mg day(-1) maintenance dosage of clopidogrel, the 150-mg day(-1) dosage can reduce major adverse cardiac and/or cerebrovascular events but may increase the risk of minor bleeding.

Does clopidogrel affect creatinine?

Clopidogrel group experienced a decrease of 12.9% (P = 0.0001) in serum creatinine as compared to 6% in aspirin group. The change in clopidogrel group was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.02) over aspirin group by t test.

Does clopidogrel increase creatinine?

Among participants whose creatinine clearances were > 60 mL/min, the rise in creatinine from baseline was 10.2 mmol/L in the ticagrelor group compared with 10.0 mmol/L in the clopidogrel group (P = . 0010).

How long should I take clopidogrel after a stent?

Background: American and European cardiology societies recommend six to 12 months of dual-antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel (Plavix) after drug-eluting stent placement to prevent late stent thrombosis.

Can clopidogrel cause anxiety?

headache, fever, weakness, feeling tired; little or no urination; a seizure; low blood sugar--headache, hunger, sweating, irritability, dizziness, fast heart rate, and feeling anxious or shaky; or.

Why is clopidogrel preferred to aspirin?

Several clinical trials reported that clopidogrel was superior to aspirin in secondary stroke prevention by reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).