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The Side Effects of Stopping Plavix

Plavix, also called clopidogrel, is a drug prescribed to patients following a heart attack, stroke, unstable angina, stent insertion or other cardiac conditions. The drug is prescribed for 1 year following the medical event. During this time, many patients do not experience any other significant medical situation. However, upon stopping the drug, patients may in fact be doubling their risk for a subsequent cardiac event for up to 3 months and potentially longer. Doctors and researchers are now realizing this phenomenon and are looking into patient experiences. There is no determination as to why this might be happening or how to prevent it, but doctors and researchers are aware of the side effects of stopping Plavix and are researching alternatives.

  1. Heart Attack

    • A heart attack can happen to patients stopping Plavix within a short period of time, usually 90 days. This may be due an artery becoming occluded or some other effect that has yet to be determined.

    Stroke

    • Strokes are also more common within the 90 days following the cessation of Plavix. Doctors and researchers believe this could be due to the change in the blood platelets and the way they function when Plavix is no longer in the system and acting as a blood thinner.

    Blood Thickening

    • Plavix is a drug that thins the blood. When patients discontinue the use of the drug, then their blood will begin to thicken to a normal consistency. This thickening could make it more difficult for blood to flow through already restricted arteries, which could increase blood pressure and eventually cause a heart attack.

    Blood Clots

    • In some cases, blood clots may form, which could cause a heart attack, stroke or other medical emergency. This is due to the fact that blood platelets no longer have the drug affecting how they operate. When the drug is stopped, blood platelets may begin to stick together and may form a blood clot.

    Death

    • The worst side effect of stopping Plavix very well may be death. Within the first 90 days of stopping Plavix, some patients experience another cardiac event they cannot recover from and die.

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