Plavix

Plavix is used to avoid unwanted blood clots which occur due to certain heart or blood vessel conditions by keeping the platelets in the blood away from coagulating. It is also used to prevent blood clots after recent heart attack or stroke and it may be used for other purposes as well. You should not take the medication if you are allergic to Plavix, or there is any active bleeding like stomach ulcer or bleeding in the brain. You should inform your doctor before taking the medication in these cases. Tell your doctor if you have blood clotting disorder, like hemophilia, history of stroke, stomach ulcer or ulcerative colitis, or kidney disease.

You should take the medication as prescribed to you by your doctor and avoid taking the medication in greater amount and take it with a full glass of water. The work of Plavix is to stop your blood from coagulating in order to prevent unwanted blood clots, but it can also make easier for you to bleed even if you have a minor injury, so if the bleeding is continued then you should seek emergency treatment. You should go on your regular schedule and if you miss a dose, then you should take the missed dose when you remember, but if it is almost the time of next dose then you should skip the missed dose and follow your regular schedule. If you have taken overdose of the medication then you should go for your doctor and effects of overdose may include vomiting, feeling exhausted or short of breath.



If you experience the side effects like allergic reaction which include hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat, then you need emergency medical help. If you feel the following side effects like nose bleeding or other bleeding, black, bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood, chest pain, sudden numbness or weakness, sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech or balance, or pale skin, then you should stop to take the medication. There are some less severe side effects but there is no need to fear and you can continue your medication. These side effects include stomach pain, runny or stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, mild headache or dizziness.

If you are taking other drugs then you should inform your doctor, because the drugs can interact with Plavix. The drugs include phenytoin, tamoxifen, tolbutamide, torsemide, fluvastatin, medicines for blood thinner such as alteplase, anistreplase, dipyridamole, streptominase etc. If you are taking one the following drugs, then you are unable to take Plavix or you have to do special tests during treatment. Plavix comes in 75 mg round, pink tablets and the medication belongs to FDA pregnancy category B, therefore it is not expected to be harmful for unborn baby. The medication passes into milk of nursing mother which can harm a nursing baby. You should consult with your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding a baby. It should be kept in mind the medicine that all the medicines should be kept away from children, and place at room temperature.