What's the difference between aspirin and clopidogrel?

What is the difference between aspirin and Plavix (clopidogrel)? Aspirin and Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate) are drugs used to prevent blood clots. Aspirin and Plavix belong to different drug classes. Plavix is an anticoagulant and aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

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).

Is clopidogrel safer than aspirin?

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.

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).

How much stronger is clopidogrel than aspirin?

In the present study, the MACE rates for aspirin and clopidogrel are 30.3% and 45.4% respectively. They are substantially higher than those reported in previous studies showing the MACE rates around 10% for both antiplatelet agents [20, 21].

Asprin vs Plavix? Which is better?

What are the advantages of clopidogrel?

Clopidogrel reduces the ability of the platelets to stick together and reduces the risk of clots forming. This protects you from having a stroke or heart attack.

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.

Can I take clopidogrel for life?

Treatment with clopidogrel is usually for life, unless there are any reported problems. In the UK, medicines must have a licence, also called a Marketing Authorisation (MA), before they are approved for treating patients.

Can aspirin and clopidogrel be taken together?

Aspirin combined with clopidogrel has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular events in patients at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as in those with acute coronary syndrome.

What can you take instead of clopidogrel?

Besides oral anticoagulants, such as warfarin and the more recent dabigatran[9], and niche agents, such as cilostazol and ticlopidine[10,11], the most promising alternatives to clopidogrel in those with background aspirin therapy are prasugrel and ticagrelor.

What are the most common side effects of clopidogrel?

Common side effects

bleeding more easily than normal – nosebleeds, bruising more easily or bleeding that takes longer to stop. diarrhoea. stomach pain. indigestion or heartburn.

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.

Is clopidogrel 75 mg 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?

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 is clopidogrel 75 mg tablets used for?

Clopidogrel is used alone or with aspirin to prevent serious or life-threatening problems with the heart and blood vessels in people who have had a stroke, heart attack, or severe chest pain.

Does clopidogrel increase bleeding risk?

In conclusion, we found that among patients receiving DES, clopidogrel use was associated with an increased risk of major bleeding over a broad range of time intervals out to 18 months. In contrast, clopidogrel use was associated with decreased risk of MI in all time intervals and death in the 7- to 12-month interval.

Can I take clopidogrel in the morning and aspirin at night?

Conclusions: Bedtime administration of aspirin and clopidogrel decreased morning surge of platelet aggregation while kept same antiplaelet efficay during other time of the day compared to taking these drugs at day-time.

Is aspirin a blood thinner?

A: Aspirin is a type of blood thinner called an antiplatelet. Antiplatelets reduce your blood cells' ability to clump together to form a clot. If you have heart disease, you're probably familiar with taking a low dose of aspirin to help prevent heart attack.

How long does clopidogrel stay in your system?

Plavix is estimated to be cleared from your body in about 33 hours. A single, oral dose of Plavix (clopidogrel) 75 mg has a half-life of approximately 6 hours. It takes 5.5 x half-life of a medicine for a drug to leave the body, therefore most of the Plavix should be eliminated from your system in 5.5 x 6 = 33 hours.

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.

Can I drink coffee while taking 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.

Can you drink alcohol when 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.

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 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 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.