PLAVIX works differently by helping to keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots
Many people take cholesterol and blood pressure medicines to help reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke. PLAVIX works differently by helping to reduce your risk of a future heart attack or stroke by keeping blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots.
Always talk to your doctor before taking aspirin or other medicines with PLAVIX, especially if you’ve had a stroke.
When platelets in the blood stick together, they can form artery-clogging clots, which are the direct cause of most heart attacks and strokes. Although blood pressure and cholesterol medications reduce your overall cardiovascular risk, they do not keep platelets from sticking together and forming clots.
How blood pressure and cholesterol medicines work
All blood pressure medicines work to lower blood pressure, but they do so in different
ways. Some lower blood volume, whereas others expand blood vessels or loosen the
"grip" or stress on a blood vessel. Many cholesterol-lowering drugs work by helping
to reduce the buildup of plaque and limit the production of new cholesterol. PLAVIX helps keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots.
See how different cardiovascular medications work in your body by using our Understanding Heart Medications Chart.
See how platelets can stick together, forming clots
Once you’ve had a heart attack or stroke your risk of another
heart attack or stroke is increased. And your
risk never goes away. That's why PLAVIX, as prescribed by your doctor for help preventing the formation of blood clots, may be right for you.
PLAVIX is the #1 prescribed antiplatelet medicine.*
Prescription PLAVIX, a heart medication, may be right for you as it helps keep platelets from sticking together and forming clots. This enables blood to flow more easily, helping to reduce the risk of a future heart attack or stroke.
For more than 13 years, doctors have written PLAVIX prescriptions to over 115 million people.
PLAVIX has been the focus of extensive research, studies, and scientific findings.
The effectiveness of PLAVIX has been proven and the safety profile supported by 3 large clinical studies involving 77,000 patients. Talk to your doctor about PLAVIX and continue
to take all your medicines as prescribed.
* IMS Health, NPA Plus™, TRxs. February 2010.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Certain genetic factors and some medicines such as Prilosec reduce the effect of PLAVIX leaving you at greater risk for heart attack and stroke. Your doctor may use genetic tests to determine treatment. Don’t stop taking PLAVIX without talking to your doctor as your risk of heart attack or stroke may increase. People with stomach ulcers or conditions that cause bleeding should not use PLAVIX. Taking PLAVIX alone or with some other medicines, including aspirin, may increase bleeding risk which can potentially be life-threatening. So tell your doctor when planning surgery. Tell your doctor all medicines you take, including aspirin, especially if you’ve had a stroke. If fever, unexplained weakness or confusion develops, tell your doctor promptly. These may be signs of TTP, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, reported sometimes less than 2 weeks after starting PLAVIX.
Click here for US Full Prescribing Information Including BOXED WARNING
and Medication Guide
Remember, your doctor is the single best source of information regarding your
health. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions about your health
or your medicine.
What to do next: Learn about the different heart medications and how they work