Health & Care Information Plavix (clopidogrel) helps to prevent platelets in your blood from sticking together and forming a blood clot. Unwanted blood clots can occur with certain heart or blood vessel conditions.Plavix is used to prevent blood clots after a recent heart attack or stroke by acting as blood thinner. People with certain disorders of the heart or blood vessels can also use this medicine.
Plavix may also be used for purposes which you may not found in this article.Plavix is used to keep your blood from coagulating or clotting, in order to prevent unwanted blood clots that can occur with certain heart or blood vessel conditions. Because of this drug action, Plavix can make it easier for you to bleed, even from a minor injury.
Normally your doctor performs blood tests to make sure you do not have certain genetic conditions that would prevent you from safely using Plavix, before prescribing it.In addition to this test, it is a must to tell your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, such as TTP (thrombocytopenic purpura) or hemophilia, a history of stroke, including TIA (“mini-stroke”), stomach ulcer or ulcerative colitis or kidney disease.
Plavix Side effects, Dosage and Generic
Here you can find all relevant information about Plavix.
Side effects
- Most common side effects of Pelvix include chest pain, collection of blood under the skin, deep, dark purple bruise, itching, pain, redness, or swelling, pain in general. In addition, red or purple spots on the skin, varying in size from pinpoint to large bruises can also occur. Some patients have experienced nose bleeding, painful or difficult urination, shortness of breath or vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, but these side effects are not too common.
- Rare side effects include black, tarry stools, blistering, flaking, or peeling of the skin, blood in the urine or stools, high level of confusion, fever, chills, or sore throat, headache, nausea or vomiting, stomach pain, ulcers, sores, or white spots in the mouth, unusual bleeding or bruising or sudden weakness.
- Some clopidogrel side effects may not need any medical attention. As these side effects are accepted by your body with in short time and when your body gets used to the medicine, these side effects may disappear.
- Plavix should not be used if you have any active bleeding such as a stomach ulcer or bleeding in the brain may be from a head injury.
- Some medicines can interact with clopidogrel and should not be used at the same time. So it’s important to tell your doctor if you are using any before. May be your doctor may need to change your treatment plan if you take other medicines such as esomeprazole, omeprazole, Nexium, Prilosec. In case of surgery or dental work, tell the surgeon or dentist that you take Plavix.
Dosage
- Be careful, take Plavix exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label.
- Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
- Plavix can be taken with or without food.
- The main function of Plavix is to prevent your blood from clotting therefore it can also make it easier for you to bleed, even from a minor injury. So make sure that keep yourself away from injuries and in case of any injury as well as nonstop bleeding, contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention.
- You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time before having surgery, to prevent excessive bleeding. Follow your doctor’s instructions and start taking this medicine again as soon as possible.
- To stop Palvixsuddenly can be dangerous and not recommended. Use Plavix regularly even if you feel fine or have no symptoms.
- Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Generic
Following companies have received FDA approval for 300 mg clopidogrel:
- Teva Pharmaceuticals
- Mylan Pharmaceuticals
- Gate Pharmaceuticals
- Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
Following companies have received FDA approval for 75 mg clopidogrel:
- Torrent Pharmaceuticals
- Teva Pharmaceuticals
- Sun Pharma
- Roxane Laboratories
- Mylan Pharmaceuticals
- AurobindoPharma
- Apotex Corporation
It is emphasized by FDA that generic and brand-name drugs have to undergo the same stringent requirements before they appear on pharmacy shelves. Brand-name and generic drugs that are FDA-approved have identical strengths and levels of quality.
