In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
The drug called Plavix is well known to patients after heart attack and stroke incidents. It is an anticoagulant medicine that contains the active substance clopidogrel. Plavix is the original product, in the form of white, film-coated tablets containing 75 or 300 mg of clopidogrel. It is a prescription drug and treatment must be carried out under strict medical supervision.
How does Plavix work?
Swallowing a tablet, we take drug in the form of a prodrug – it means that only in our body, as a result of the action of an appropriate enzyme (specifically cytochrome P450), it is transformed into an active substance with an appropriate therapeutic effect. The operation of Plavix includes a direct effect on the structure of platelets. On their surface there is a receptor – P2Y12 – which under normal conditions is the site of ADP nucleotide attachment, which entails further reactions, eventually leading to aggregation of platelets in the coagulation process. The active substance Plavix modifies the P2Y12 receptor in such a way that ADP attachment is no longer possible. This is an irreversible modification – a platelets that have been affected by the active metabolite of clopidogrel once are altered and unable to stick to other platelets for the rest of their lives, that is, 7 to 10 days.
How is Plavix used?
Primarily strictly follow the instructions of your doctor and remain under the supervision of a specialist throughout the treatment period. The doctor often uses plavix in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; e.g. popular Acard, Polocard), but if he does not recommend it, you should not take ASA on your own, even though it is available without a prescription. plavix is taken once a day and should be taken on a regular basis, preferably at the same time of the day. Treatment usually starts with a 300 mg loading dose and then goes on to 75 mg once a day, but this has to be decided upon by your doctor. Treatment duration it also depends on the type of ailment and is determined by the attending physician.
Contraindications and precautions
Plavix is not recommended use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, it has no effect on psychomotor performance, so you can safely drive a car while taking it.
To be exact contraindications for the use of Plavix These include hypersensitivity to clopidogrel or any of the excipients (allergy sufferers – it contains lactose), severe liver problems (liver failure) and bleeding, e.g. from stomach ulcers or intracranial haemorrhage.
Special precautions should be taken when using Plavix due to the risk of greater bleeding, e.g. after injuries, surgery. Common side effects after taking clopidogrel include various types of bleeding and digestive system disorders (e.g. diarrhea, nausea – these may be caused by hydrogenated castor oil, one of the excipients). Be careful of interactions with other blood thinners – especially anticoagulants, thrombolytics and the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Some medications are debilitating Plavix operation (CYP2C19 inhibitors, e.g. omeprazole), so read this leaflet carefully and tell your doctor about all your medicines. Producer place Plavix is Sanofi Pharma Bristol-Myers Squibb.