What does clopidogrel do to your body?

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet medicine. It prevents platelets (a type of blood cell) from sticking together and forming a dangerous blood clot. Taking clopidogrel helps prevent blood clots if you have an increased risk of having them.

What are the side effects of clopidogrel 75 mg?

What should you not take with clopidogrel?

Does clopidogrel affect blood pressure?

You likely won't have blood pressure changes while you're taking Plavix. However, sudden drops in blood pressure may be a symptom of serious internal bleeding, which is a possible side effect of Plavix.

What does clopidogrel do for the heart?

A heart attack or stroke may occur when a blood vessel is blocked by a blood clot. Clopidogrel is a platelet inhibitor. It reduces the chance that a harmful blood clot will form by preventing platelets from clumping together in the blood.

How Does Clopidogrel (Anti-platelets) Work? (+ Pharmacology)

Does clopidogrel dissolve clots?

If you take it every day, clopidogrel stops platelets clumping together to form unwanted blood clots. This helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

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.

How do you know if clopidogrel is working?

Talk to a pharmacist or your doctor before buying any over-the-counter medicine to check if it is compatible with clopidogrel. You may notice that you bruise or bleed more easily and it will take longer to stop bleeding while you are taking clopidogrel. This shows that clopidogrel is working.

Does 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.

How long should I stay on clopidogrel?

The standard recommendation is typically at least 12 months of Plavix. But the study found that six months of treatment was enough to prevent rare but deadly complications, says researcher Marco Valgimigli, MD, of the University Hospital of Ferrara, in Italy.

Does clopidogrel affect sleep?

The organic nitrates (isosorbide) and the antiplatelet agents (acetylsalicylic acid, clopidogrel) are among the most prescribed drugs in cardiology and are not cited as causing insomnia or sleepiness.

Can you drink alcohol while taking clopidogrel?

Can I drink alcohol while taking clopidogrel? ️ Yes (within the recommended limits). Alcohol doesn't affect clopidogrel itself, but just be aware that drinking alcohol can irritate your stomach lining. This could increase the risk of getting a bleeding in the stomach.

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.

Can you suddenly stop taking clopidogrel?

Feb. 5, 2008 -- Heart attack survivors and other heart patients may be more likely to die or suffer a heart attack in the first three months after stopping the drug Plavix, new research shows. Plavix is an antiplatelet drug.

Which is better aspirin or clopidogrel?

Clopidogrel is another guideline‐recommended antiplatelet agent²¹ and has been shown to be superior to aspirin in preventing composite vascular events and reducing hemorrhagic complications in a randomized controlled trial, CAPRIE (Clopidogrel versus Aspirin in Patients at Risk of Ischaemic Events).

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.

Does clopidogrel make you gain weight?

Weight changes, including weight loss, are not commonly seen with Plavix. However, Plavix has been shown to cause loss of taste in a few individuals within the first two to eight weeks of taking the medication. Patients who lose their sense of taste may also have decreased appetite, leading to weight loss.

Does clopidogrel cause joint pain?

Arthralgia and backache are also known to occur with its use. There have been case reports linking arthritis with the use of clopidogrel. We describe the case of a 64-year-old man who reported symptoms of fever and joint pains following initiation of therapy with clopidogrel.

Can clopidogrel cause weight loss?

EDITOR'S KEY POINTS. Rarely, clopidogrel bisulfate can cause ageusia (loss of taste). The loss of taste can be complete and can contribute to decreased appetite and weight loss. The onset can be delayed.

Do you need regular blood tests with clopidogrel?

Clopidogrel doesn't require regular blood test monitoring, but it affects platelet function and bleeding times for up to 7–10 days. You may need to avoid elective dental work and elective operations while taking aspirin or clopidogrel due to risks of bleeding.

What is the best time of day to take clopidogrel?

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.

Is it OK to drink coffee with clopidogrel?

These medications are used to slow blood clotting and include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, and others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, and others), enoxaparin (Lovenox), and more. Health experts advise caution when combining them with coffee, which can also slow blood clotting.

Do blood thinners make you tired?

Aside from bleeding-related issues, there are several side effects that have been linked to blood thinners, such as nausea and low counts of cells in your blood. Low blood cell count can cause fatigue, weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath. Be careful mixing medications.

Why is clopidogrel and aspirin used together?

Both these antiplatelet agents have a potent protective effect against adverse vascular events, but the combination of these two agents has an even stronger antiplatelet effect translating into superior antithrombotic protection in coronary, cerebral or peripheral arterial disease, without an inordinate increase in ...

Does clopidogrel affect blood sugar?

These results could indicate that clopidogrel has glucose lowering effect and the FSG level in placebo treated group significantly elevated after the same course of treatment.