What happens if you miss plavix

You may need to take clopidogrel for a few weeks or months, or you may have to take it for the rest of your 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.

If you stop taking clopidogrel, your blood will start clotting at the same rate as before you started taking it, usually within 5 days of stopping the medicine. This means you may be at increased risk of serious problems like heart attacks or strokes. Other antiplatelet medicines include low-dose aspirin , dipyridamole and ticagrelor. Anticoagulant medicines such as apixaban , dabigatran , edoxaban , rivaroxaban and warfarin are also prescribed to prevent blood clots forming.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out why you have been recommended a particular medicine. Both clopidogrel and ticagrelor work to:. But ticagrelor is not approved for preventing further strokes if you have already had a stroke. In this case, your doctor may prescribe clopidogrel instead. You'll usually take clopidogrel once a day. Ticagrelor is taken twice a day.

Yes, you can drink alcohol while taking clopidogrel, as long as you stick to the national guidelines of no more than 14 units a week for men and women. A standard glass of wine ml is 2 units. A pint of lager or beer is usually 2 to 3 units of alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol while you're taking clopidogrel can irritate your stomach. There's a risk that you could get a stomach ulcer.

Grapefruit juice decreases the effects of your medicine, so that it may not work as well to prevent clots. Because of the risk of bleeding, you may need to stop taking clopidogrel for a short time before having surgery or dental work. Do not stop taking clopidogrel without first talking to your doctor or dentist. They'll tell you if you need to stop taking clopidogrel before a procedure. It's a good idea to mention to the doctor or nurse that you're taking an antiplatelet medicine.

Clopidogrel does not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill and emergency contraception. There's no clear evidence to suggest that taking clopidogrel will reduce fertility in either men or women. But speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant.

Clopidogrel does not affect your concentration, so you can drive or ride a bike while you're taking it. If you have been prescribed clopidogrel, you can also boost your health by making some key lifestyle changes. Page last reviewed: 5 August Next review due: 5 August Clopidogrel - Brand names: Grepid, Plavix On this page About clopidogrel Key facts Who can and cannot take clopidogrel How and when to take clopidogrel Side effects How to cope with side effects of clopidogrel Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions about clopidogrel.

About clopidogrel Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet medicine. Your risk is higher if you have or have had: a heart attack unstable angina a stroke or "mini-stroke" transient ischaemic attack or TIA peripheral arterial disease an operation on your heart or blood vessels, such as a coronary stent insertion Clopidogrel comes as tablets and is only available on prescription.

Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? The usual dose for clopidogrel is 75mg once a day. Your doctor may prescribe clopidogrel with or instead of low-dose aspirin. The main side effect of clopidogrel is bleeding more easily than normal. You may have nosebleeds, heavier periods, bleeding gums or bruising. You can drink alcohol with clopidogrel. But do not drink too much while taking this medicine. It can irritate your stomach. You may need to stop taking clopidogrel for a short time before having surgery or dental treatment, but check with your doctor or dentist first.

Here we look at how Plavix and Brilinta are alike and different. Plavix contains the drug clopidogrel, while Brilinta contains the drug ticagrelor. These drugs belong to the same class of medications called platelet inhibitors. Plavix and Brilinta are both approved to prevent cardiovascular complications, such as heart attack and stroke , in people who have acute coronary syndrome ACS.

This syndrome is caused by a lack of blood flow to your heart due to a blockage. Unstable angina a type of chest pain and heart attack are two types of ACS. Both Plavix and Brilinta are often prescribed for use in combination with aspirin. Plavix comes as tablets that are taken by mouth once each day. Brilinta comes as tablets that are taken by mouth twice each day. There is also a loading dose for Brilinta. Plavix and Brilinta belong to a class of drugs called platelet inhibitors. Therefore, both medications can cause very similar side effects.

Below are examples of these side effects. These lists contain examples of more common side effects that can occur with Plavix, with Brilinta, or with both drugs when taken individually. These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Plavix, with Brilinta, or with both drugs when taken individually.

In one clinical study, people who had experienced an ACS event within the past 24 hours took aspirin and either Plavix or Brilinta. Researchers followed the people for up to 1 year to see if they would have a cardiovascular event such as heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular-related death. By the end of the study, compared with people taking Plavix and aspirin, fewer people taking Brilinta and aspirin had experienced a cardiovascular event.

For details on this study, see the Plavix package insert. Plavix and Brilinta are both brand-name drugs. A generic form of Plavix, called clopidogrel, is available for use.

However, a generic form of Brilinta is not yet available. The generic is considered to be just as safe and effective as the original drug. According to estimates on GoodRx. Here we look at how Plavix and Effient are alike and different. Plavix contains the drug clopidogrel, while Effient contains the drug prasugrel.

Both drugs belong to the same class of medications called platelet inhibitors. Plavix and Effient are both approved to prevent cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke , in people who have acute coronary syndrome ACS.

With ACS, there is a lack of blood flow to your heart due to blockage. And for each of these uses, Effient should only be given to people who will be having or have had percutaneous coronary intervention PCI treatment. With PCI, a thin, flexible tube is used to open up blood vessels that are narrowed because of plaque buildup. Effient is also approved to prevent blood clots from forming on or inside stents mesh tubes in people with ACS. Plavix is also approved to prevent heart attack and stroke in people with peripheral artery disease PAD.

Both Plavix and Effient are often prescribed for use in combination with aspirin. Effient comes as tablets that are taken by mouth twice each day. Plavix and Effient both belong to a class of drugs called platelet inhibitors. These lists contain examples of more common side effects that can occur with Plavix, with Effient, or with both drugs when taken individually.

Examples of serious side effects that can occur with both drugs when taken individually include the following:. The use of Plavix and Effient has been directly compared in studies. In one clinical study , certain people were given aspirin and either Plavix or Effient for up to 15 months. Researchers found that compared with those taking Plavix and aspirin, fewer people taking Effient and aspirin had experienced a heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular-related death. Plavix and Effient are both brand-name drugs, but there are generic forms available for each drug.

The generic form of Plavix is called clopidogrel, while the generic form of Effient is called prasugrel. Plavix can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works.

Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe. Below are lists of medications that can interact with Plavix. These lists do not contain all the drugs that may interact with Plavix.

Before taking Plavix, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Plavix can interact with certain other drugs that are metabolized processed by the same enzymes proteins in your liver. For example, proton pump inhibitors are a class of drugs that are metabolized by the enzymes that break down Plavix.

Taking these drugs with Plavix can make Plavix less effective for you. This may be dangerous to your health. They may recommend a different treatment so you can avoid this interaction. Taking these drugs together further increases your risk of bleeding, especially the risk of bleeding in your stomach.

Taking Plavix with warfarin Coumadin or other blood thinners increases your risk of side effects, such as serious bleeding. This is because Plavix and blood thinner drugs each work to stop your blood from forming clots. This is because opioids can make Plavix less effective if the drugs are taken together. This is because certain antidepressants and Plavix can each increase your risk of bleeding. Taking these drugs together further increases your risk of bleeding.

You should avoid taking Plavix with a certain diabetes drug called repaglinide. This because Plavix increases the level of repaglinide in your body, which may increase your risk of certain side effects from repaglinide. If you need to take these drugs together, your doctor may adjust your dosage of repaglinide. However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Plavix.

You may wonder if certain foods interact with Plavix. Below, we review some that may or may not interact with the drug. This is because grapefruit interacts with certain enzymes in your liver , which affects how your body metabolizes processes Plavix.

This could be dangerous for your health. This is because coffee can irritate the lining of your stomach, which can sometimes cause stomach upset or bleeding.

Plavix also increases your risk of bleeding, which can sometimes occur in your stomach. For some people, this may increase the risk of bleeding, especially in their stomach.

Usually not, because Plavix increases your risk of bleeding. In fact, your doctor will likely recommend that you stop taking Plavix 5 days before you have certain surgeries. They will recommend which drugs are safe for you to take around the time of your procedure.

This drug should work safely and effectively for you regardless of your specific diet. These products can interact with Plavix. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will help to reduce your overall risk of heart disease and cardiovascular events. After this period, your specialist will usually advise you to stop 1 of the 2 antiplatelet medications. If you have certain health conditions such as a peptic ulcer or bleeding disorder you should not take clopidogrel, unless advised by a specialist. Clopidogrel must not be given to anyone under 16 years old, unless under specialist advice.

It's also not recommended if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Read more about things to consider before taking clopidogrel. Although serious reactions are rare, clopidogrel can cause side effects including indigestion and nausea. Read more about the side effects of clopidogrel. Clopidogrel can also interact with other medicines.

Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine to check it is safe to take with clopidogrel. If you are unsure, ask your pharmacist or GP. Read more about how clopidogrel interacts with other medication.

If you forget to take your dose of clopidogrel, take that dose as soon as you remember, then continue to take your course of clopidogrel as normal. However, if it's almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you have to take 2 doses closer together than normal, there is an increased risk of side effects. The patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine should also give you advice about what to do.

If you accidentally take an extra dose or doses of clopidogrel, contact your GP or call the NHS 24 service for advice. Clopidogrel may not be suitable to take if you have certain health conditions or are taking other medications.

Read information about how clopidogrel interacts with other medications. Tell your GP if you've had an allergic reaction to any medications before taking clopidogrel.

Some people are advised to stop taking clopidogrel seven days before a planned operation or dental extraction removal of a tooth. This should always be on the advice of your doctor or surgeon. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

If you have certain conditions, your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner medication. Blood thinners can work to lower your chances of having a heart…. Blood clots often occur without symptoms.

This can make it difficult to tell if you have one. Learn more about the early warning signs. Grapefruit has many health benefits but can be dangerous if combined with certain medications.

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