After my angioplasty procedure, stent was placed. I was kept on daily dose of pl!
Question: How long do I need to be on this drug? And what are possible side effects ?
Answers:
Clopidrogel (Plavix)is for 'keeping the stent open' so the artery will not block again. So don't stop it, it may well be a life-long medication for you.
Can cause indigestion, diarrhea, abdominal pain, some bleeding disorders (including stomach and intestinal bleed)- those are the most common, some people may not experience any at all.
Did they prescribe you Aspirin? Sometimes plavix and aspirin are given together.
Other Answers:
You will probably have to take it the rest of your life. Bruising is one of the side effects
Do not stop the drug unless and until the doctor asks to discontinue the medicine due to side effects. If discontinued, you have to take alternative medicines for life time to avoid heart attack or stroke.
Source(s):
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601040.html
It depends on the type of stent that was placed- in my experience, most patients take plavix for 1 year and are on aspirin forever. Speak with your cardiologist about how long he/she wants you to take Plavix. The most common side effects are bleeding tendencies and bruising.
Source(s):
I'm an interventional cardiology nurse
Answers: