About Plavix

Clopidogrel is used in adult patients in whom a reduction in blood coagulation (colloquially: “dilution of the blood”) is desired.

As a result, the substance is used

• within the first 35 days days after a heart attack
• in the period of one week to a maximum of six months after a stroke due to circulatory disorders in the brain
• for occlusions of arteries and associated complaints.

Clopidogrel is used in combination with acetylsalicylic acid in

• Acute circulatory disorders of the coronary arteries (acute coronary syndrome) without ECG change (ST segment elevation)
• Patients with acute coronary syndrome who have had a wire mesh (stent) used to keep coronary vessels open
• acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation
• Cardiac arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation) that are likely to cause vascular occlusion and can not be treated with a blood thinning phenprocoumon or warfarin therapy.

  What is the purpose of this ingredient?

  Prevent infarction or stroke
  • Reduce blood clotting
  • prevent blood clots
  • inhibit platelet aggregation

This is how Clopidogrel works

Below you will learn more about the fields of application and the mode of action of clopidogrel.
Please also read the information on the drug group platelet aggregation inhibitors,
to which the active ingredient clopidogrel belongs.

Areas of application of the active substance clopidogrel

Clopidogrel is used in adult patients in whom a reduction in blood coagulation (colloquially: “dilution of the blood”) is desired.

As a result, the substance is used

• within the first 35 days days after a heart attack
• in the period of one week to a maximum of six months after a stroke due to circulatory disorders in the brain
• for occlusions of arteries and associated complaints.

Clopidogrel is used in combination with acetylsalicylic acid in

• Acute circulatory disorders of the coronary arteries (acute coronary syndrome) without ECG change (ST segment elevation)
• Patients with acute coronary syndrome who have had a wire mesh (stent) used to keep coronary vessels open
• acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation
• Cardiac arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation) that is likely to cause vascular occlusion and can not be treated with a blood thinning phenprocoumon or warfarin therapy.

  For the following applications Clopidogrel , in-depth information is available:

  • Stroke
  • infarction
  • Angina pectoris
  • arterial circulatory disorders
  • Cardiovascular Disease

  Effect of Clopidogrel

  The active substance clopidogrel belongs to the group of antiplatelet agents. Like all drugs in this group, clopidogrel also helps to reduce blood clotting. This should prevent blood clots and prevent strokes and heart attacks.

  If tissue is damaged in the human body, it destroys cells. These cells thereby release their content into the environment. When cells that line a blood vessel are destroyed, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) is released, among other things. This ADP, when it encounters platelets, causes them to aggregate. It forms a clumping of platelets (it is called platelet aggregation), which is able to close the hole in the vessel wall. ADP is therefore an impulse that blood clots can form.

  There are diseases in which such blood clots pose a danger to the patient. Clopidogrel prevents platelet aggregation by blocking ADP’s platelet attack. As a result, the ADP can not act on the platelets and blood clotting is reduced. Colloquially, one says, the blood is “diluted”. The most dangerous side effects of this drug are bleeding, which is difficult to breastfed due to impaired platelet function.

Potential Plavix side effects may include:

Effect

Percentage

No side effects

30%

Depressions

10%

Dizziness

9%

Sleep disorders

9%

Fatigue

9%

Muscle aches

7%

Circulatory failure

6%

Insomnia

4%

Hematoma susceptibility

4%

Aggressiveness

4%

Plavix used to treat the following diseases:

Disease

Percentage

Stent inlay

34%

Coronary heart disease

18%

Stroke

16%

Heart attack

16%

Thrombosis prophylaxis

12%

Bypass surgery

9%

High blood pressure

7%