Experiences with
ClopidogrelClopidogrel is not suitable for some people. For example, check with your doctor if you have a bleeding disorder or have liver or kidney problems.
Clopidogrel comes as tablets that you take once a day. Follow the instructions that come with your medicine.
Common side effects of clopidogrel include bleeding more easily, diarrhoea and stomach pain. More serious side effects can happen in rare cases.
Clopidogrel is not often used during pregnancy. Always check with a pharmacist or doctor.
It can cause problems to take clopidogrel with some other medicines, such as other medicines for blood clots, ibuprofen or omeprazole.
Who can take clopidogrel
Most adults aged 18 years and over can take clopidogrel.
Who may not be able to take clopidogrel
Clopidogrel is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor if you:
- have ever had an allergic reaction to clopidogrel or any other medicine
- have ever had a stomach ulcer
- have recently had surgery or a serious injury
- have had bleeding in your brain (a brain haemorrhage)
- have a bleeding disorder, such as haemophilia
- have liver or kidney problems
- are trying to get pregnant, already pregnant or breastfeeding
Dosage and how to take clopidogrel
Clopidogrel tablets come in strengths of 75mg or 300mg.
The usual dose is 75mg taken once a day.
Occasionally you may be prescribed a one-off higher dose, such as 300mg or 600mg.
How to take it
Take clopidogrel at the same time each day.
Swallow the tablet whole with a drink of water. You can take it with or without food.
Common side effects of clopidogrel
These common side effects of clopidogrel happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Clopidogrel can cause bleeding problems such as nosebleeds, bruising more easily, heavier periods or bleeding that takes longer to stop.
Be careful when doing activities that might cause an injury or a cut. Always wear a helmet when cycling. Wear protective gloves when you use sharp objects like scissors, knives, and gardening tools. Use an electric razor instead of wet shaving. Speak to a dentist for advice on how to clean your teeth.
See a doctor if you're worried about any bleeding.
Drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Speak to a pharmacist if you have signs of dehydration, such as peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
If you take the combined contraceptive pill or progestogen-only pill and you have severe, watery diarrhoea, or any diarrhoea that lasts for more than 24 hours, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.
Try to rest and relax. It can help to eat and drink slowly and have smaller and more frequent meals. Putting a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your stomach may also help.
If you're in a lot of pain or it does not get better, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.
Take clopidogrel a few minutes before or after a meal.
If the indigestion does not go away, it could be a sign that you have a stomach ulcer. Talk to your doctor, as they may prescribe something to protect your stomach or switch you to a different medicine.
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.
Clopidogrel and pregnancy
Clopidogrel is not often recommended in pregnancy, but can be taken if needed.
Although there is not much information about its use in pregnancy, it is not thought to be harmful to your baby.
Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking clopidogrel. For some women, continuing to take clopidogrel is essential during pregnancy, and for others a different treatment may be more suitable. It will depend on why you're taking it.
Do not stop taking it unless you have been advised to do so by your doctor.
Clopidogrel and breastfeeding
If your baby is healthy, you may be able to take clopidogrel if you need to while you're breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist first, and they'll help you to decide.
It's not known how much clopidogrel gets into breast milk, but it's likely to be low levels, and your baby will not be able to absorb a lot into their body from the breast milk. It has not been known to cause any side effects in breastfed babies.
It's very rare for breastfed babies to have side effects from medicines you're taking. But it's important to keep monitoring your baby if you're taking any medicine while breastfeeding.
Contact your healthcare professional or call 111 as soon as possible if your baby:
- is not feeding as well as usual
- is bruising or bleeding easily
- has diarrhoea
- is being irritable
If your baby has any symptoms that are not listed, or if you're worried about them, you can also call 111 or contact any healthcare professional.
Carry on taking the medicine, and keep breastfeeding as usual until you've got advice about your baby's symptoms.
Cautions with other medicines
Some medicines affect the way clopidogrel works.
Tell your doctor if you're taking any other medicines, including:
- other medicines to prevent blood clots, such as low-dose aspirin, warfarin, rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban, dabigatran, dipyridamole, ticagrelor or prasugrel
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen
- antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as citalopram
- omeprazole or esomeprazole, for indigestion and heartburn
- rosuvastatin, a medicine for high cholesterol
- rifampicin, an antibiotic
- medicines to treat epilepsy, such as carbamazepine
- medicines to treat HIV, such as efavirenz
- medicines to treat type 2 diabetes, such as pioglitazone or repaglinide
These are not all the medicines that may cause problems if you take them with clopidogrel. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.
Taking clopidogrel with everyday painkillers
Your doctor may prescribe daily low-dose aspirin (75mg tablets) to take together with clopidogrel. Or they may prescribe clopidogrel instead of daily low-dose aspirin if you have problems with aspirin.
Do not take aspirin for pain relief (300mg tablets) or ibuprofen while you're taking clopidogrel, unless a doctor has said it's OK. They increase the chance of bleeding.
You can take paracetamol together with clopidogrel.
Taking clopidogrel with indigestion medicines
The indigestion medicines omeprazole and esomeprazole may affect how well clopidogrel works.
If you have indigestion and need a medicine to protect your stomach, your doctor can prescribe you another similar medicine, such as lansoprazole.
You can take other indigestion remedies such as antacids at the same time as clopidogrel. Your pharmacist will be able to recommend a suitable indigestion remedy for you.
Related links
HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence
