What happens to your body when you stop taking Plavix?
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Patients given the blood-clot preventer Plavix after a heart attack or after receiving a stent have a far higher risk of heart attack or death in the three months after they stop taking the drug, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
What are the side effects of long term use of Plavix?
Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Plavix including:
- bleeding that will not stop;
- bloody or tarry stools, blood in your urine;
- coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
- chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;
How long does it take to get Plavix out of 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 I stop taking Plavix cold turkey?
You do not need to wean the drug, and can stop it abruptly.
Can I stop taking Plavix after 6 months?
April 6, 2011 (New Orleans, Louisiana) — A small trial testing the appropriate duration of dual antiplatelet therapy suggests that some patients can stop clopidogrel (Plavix, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi-Aventis) after just six months following drug-eluting-stent implantation.
Do you have to wean off Plavix?
Is Plavix bad for liver?
Liver damage is a rare side effect of clopidogrel. That is reversible in most cases. Considering the widespread use of this medication in cardiovascular diseases, the management of hepatotoxicity requires further meticulous investigation.
Can I stop Plavix suddenly?
Do not stop taking clopidogrel without first talking to your health care professional. Suddenly stopping the use of antiplatelet medicines can put you at risk for heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots. Be aware that while taking clopidogrel you may bruise more easily, and it may take longer for any bleeding to stop.
Can you stop Plavix cold turkey?
Can you ever stop taking Plavix?
Do you have to be weaned off of Plavix?
Are there any side effects of stopping Plavix?
While rare overall, those deaths and heart attacks were nearly twice as common soon after stopping Plavix than they were later on. If the results are confirmed, further studies may be needed to see if patients should take Plavix longer, taper off Plavix, or use other drugs to lower death and heart attack risk, note the researchers.
How does Plavix work to prevent heart attack?
It prevents the platelets in the blood from clumping together and forming clots. This keeps blood flowing more easily through the body. This is especially crucial for people with inhibited blood flow in their arteries and greatly reduces their risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
How to know if you have an allergic reaction to Plavix?
Plavix Consumer Information Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Clopidogrel increases your risk of bleeding, which can be severe or life-threatening.
What kind of water does Plavix dissolve in?
Plavix is the brand name for the drug known as clopidogrel bisulfate. The drug itself comes in a white or off-white colored powder. In normal water, it does not dissolve, but it does freely dissolve in methanol.