PLAVIX (clopidogrel bisulfate) 75mg tablets

What is PLAVIX?

PLAVIX is a prescription antiplatelet medicine that is proven to help keep platelets in the blood from sticking together and forming clots. This helps your blood to flow more easily, reducing the risk of a future heart attack or stroke.

What is an antiplatelet medicine?

Antiplatelet medicines help keep platelets from sticking together and forming clots, which helps keep blood flowing. Clots are the direct cause of most heart attacks and strokes. Doctors often prescribe antiplatelet medicines for patients who are at increased risk for a future heart attack or stroke, or who have Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.)—also known as poor circulation in the legs.

What is the important risk information I should know?

People with stomach ulcers or other conditions that cause bleeding should not use PLAVIX. Taking PLAVIX alone or with some other medicines, including aspirin, may increase bleeding risk, so tell your doctor when planning surgery. Certain genetic factors and some medicines, such as Prilosec, may affect how PLAVIX works. Tell your doctor all the 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. Other rare but serious side effects may occur.

Are there any side effects that may occur when taking PLAVIX or PLAVIX with aspirin?

People with stomach ulcers or other conditions that cause bleeding should not use PLAVIX. Taking PLAVIX alone or with some other medicines, including aspirin, may increase bleeding risk, so tell your doctor when planning surgery. Certain genetic factors and some medicines, such as Prilosec, may affect how PLAVIX works. Tell your doctor all the 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. Other rare but serious side effects may occur.

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What makes PLAVIX the #1 prescribed antiplatelet medicine*?

For more than 11 years, doctors have written PLAVIX prescriptions to over 100 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 4 large clinical studies involving 81,000 patients. PLAVIX is the #1 prescribed antiplatelet medicine*.

What clinical data support the FDA-approved uses for PLAVIX?

In one clinical trial consisting of over 19,000 patients, PLAVIX was shown to be more effective than aspirin at reducing the risk of another heart attack or stroke for those who:

• had a recent heart attack
• had a recent stroke
• were diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D., also known as poor circulation in the legs)*

In another study involving over 12,000 patients, it was determined that PLAVIX taken with aspirin and other heart medicines provided more protection against a future heart attack or stroke than aspirin and other heart medicines alone for patients who:

• had a certain type of heart attack (non-ST-segment elevation heart attack)
• were hospitalized with heart-related chest pain

Two heart attack research studies involved over 48,000 patients. These studies determined that PLAVIX taken with aspirin goes beyond what other heart medicines do alone to provide greater protection against a heart attack, stroke, or even death for patients who:

• had a heart attack due to a completely blocked artery

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Aren’t blood pressure and cholesterol medicines enough to protect against heart attack or stroke?

Reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol is important, but you also need to help reduce the formation of clots in the blood. 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 medicines reduce your overall cardiovascular risk, they do not directly reduce clot formation. Prescription PLAVIX does.

See how different cardiovascular medications work using the Interactive Medications Chart.

Stent* or no stent, could PLAVIX be right for you?

Some patients who have had heart-related chest pain (unstable angina) or a certain type of heart attack in which their artery was partially blocked (non-ST-segment elevation heart attack) have medical procedures to insert a stent into an artery that is narrowed due to plaque buildup. Others are managed with medical treatment, or with cardiac surgery. In each of these cases, it’s still important to talk to your doctor and get the PLAVIX information you need.

_{*Bare metal stents. If you have any other type of stent, please talk to your doctor.}

How can PLAVIX help protect me from a future heart attack or stroke?

Your doctor may have prescribed PLAVIX because you have had a recent heart attack or recent stroke, or have Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.)—also known as poor circulation in the legs. PLAVIX is proven to help keep platelets in the blood from sticking together and forming clots—the cause of most heart attacks and strokes. Taking PLAVIX once a day can help reduce your risk of a future heart attack or stroke, so ask your doctor for more PLAVIX information.

How should PLAVIX be taken?

It’s important you take PLAVIX exactly as your doctor has directed to help reduce your risk of a future heart attack or stroke. PLAVIX should be taken at the same time everyday, with or without food. For patients who have what doctors call Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), PLAVIX should be taken together with aspirin as directed by your physician. Remember, PLAVIX can help to protect you as long as you continue to take it as your doctor recommends.

What if I miss a dose?

PLAVIX has been proven to deliver ongoing protection when taken as prescribed by your doctor. Taking your daily dose ensures that the medicine is in your bloodstream every day—helping protect you from a future heart attack or stroke by inhibiting potentially dangerous clot formation. If you need more information on taking your medication, please consult your doctor. If you miss a dose, do not double up on your medication. Just continue your usual dose.

If I'm feeling better, can I stop taking PLAVIX?

You may be feeling better, but your risk never goes away. You should always consult with your doctor before stopping any medicine, no matter how good you may feel now or at any time in the future. You should remember that if you have had a stroke, heart attack, or heart-related chest pain (unstable angina), or if you have poor circulation in the legs (known as Peripheral Artery Disease or P.A.D.), you’re still at increased risk of having a future heart attack or stroke. As long as you continue to stay on PLAVIX as directed by your doctor, you can help protect yourself against a future heart attack or even a stroke. Please take PLAVIX as prescribed and ask your doctor about PLAVIX information.

What if my doctor stops prescribing PLAVIX for me?

Should your PLAVIX prescription end, ask your doctor about a refill. If your doctor does not renew your prescription make sure you ask—or fully understand—the reasons behind your doctor’s decision not to continue you on PLAVIX.

You are the co-manager of your health along with your physician, and you should feel confident asking questions, raising concerns, and seeking information from him or her.

Can I take PLAVIX if I’ve had a stroke?

Yes, once your condition has been stabilized, your doctor may prescribe PLAVIX to help reduce your risk of a future heart attack or stroke. In patients who have had a recent stroke or recent heart attack or have been diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D., also known as poor circulation in the legs)—PLAVIX alone has been proven to help protect against a future stroke or heart attack.

It’s important to take PLAVIX exactly as your doctor has directed to help reduce your risk of another stroke or heart attack. You should always consult with your doctor before stopping any medication. Your doctor or other healthcare professional will know if there are reasons why you should stop taking PLAVIX.

Should I take PLAVIX and aspirin together?

Your doctor may prescribe daily PLAVIX and aspirin if you have been hospitalized with heart-related chest pain (unstable angina) or had a heart attack. PLAVIX, taken with aspirin, plays its own role in keeping platelets from sticking together. This allows blood to flow more easily and provides more protection against a future heart attack or stroke than aspirin alone. Though you may be taking medicines to help reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure levels, your doctor may have prescribed PLAVIX. Although blood pressure and cholesterol medicines reduce your overall cardiovascular risk, they do not directly reduce clot formation—the cause of most heart attacks and strokes. Prescription PLAVIX does. Get the PLAVIX information you need from your doctor.

Review any medicines you are taking with your doctor, and always check with your doctor before stopping or starting any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, or any herbal or dietary supplements.

Always talk to your doctor before taking aspirin or other medicines with PLAVIX, especially if you’ve had a stroke. Get the PLAVIX information you need from your doctor.

Can I take PLAVIX and aspirin if I’ve had a stroke?

When taking PLAVIX alone or with some other medicines including aspirin, the risk of bleeding may increase. Review all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, especially aspirin, with your doctor or any other healthcare provider. To minimize this risk, always talk to your doctor before taking aspirin or other medicines with PLAVIX, especially if you’ve had a stroke. Get the PLAVIX information you need from your doctor.

Why can’t I take PLAVIX and aspirin if I’ve had a stroke?

When taking PLAVIX alone or with some other medicines including aspirin, the risk of bleeding may increase. To minimize this risk, always talk to your doctor before taking aspirin or other medicines with PLAVIX, especially if you’ve had a stroke. Get the PLAVIX information you need from your doctor.

I had a stroke and have been on PLAVIX and aspirin for some time. Why do/should I have to stop my treatment?

It’s important to take PLAVIX exactly as your doctor has directed to help reduce your risk of another stroke or heart attack. Only your doctor knows the specifics of your condition and how PLAVIX fits into your overall therapy. That’s why it’s important to maintain an ongoing dialogue with your doctor concerning your condition and your treatment. When taking PLAVIX alone or with some other medicines including aspirin, the risk of bleeding may increase. To minimize this risk, always talk to your doctor before taking aspirin or other medicines with PLAVIX, especially if you’ve had a stroke.

How is PLAVIX different from my other heart medicines?

Although blood pressure and cholesterol medicines reduce your overall cardiovascular risk, they do not directly prevent clot formation—the cause of most heart attacks and strokes. Prescription PLAVIX does.

For more than 11 years, doctors have written PLAVIX prescriptions to over 100 million people. PLAVIX is the #1 prescription antiplatelet medicine*. 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 4 large clinical studies involving 81,000 patients.

Your doctor may prescribe daily PLAVIX and aspirin if you have been hospitalized with heart-related chest pain (unstable angina) or had a heart attack. Review any medicines you are taking with your doctor, and always check with your doctor before stopping or starting any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, or any herbal or dietary supplements.

How can I find out more about heart health?

Remember, your doctor is the single best source of information regarding PLAVIX information and your health. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions about your health or medicine.

For additional information, you can also learn more from The American Heart Association.