Experiences with

Dipyridamole

About dipyridamole

Dipyridamole is an antiplatelet medicine, or blood thinner. It makes your blood flow through your veins more easily. This means your blood will be less likely to make a dangerous blood clot.

Taking dipyridamole helps to prevent blood clots if you have an increased risk of having them. Your risk is higher if you have or have had:

Dipyridamole is only available on prescription.

It comes as tablets and slow-release (called "modified-release") capsules. It is also available as a liquid if you find it difficult to swallow tablets or capsules.

Key facts

  • The usual dose for dipyridamole is 200mg twice a day for slow-release capsules or 300mg to 600mg taken 3 or 4 times a day for tablets or liquid.
  • Your doctor may prescribe dipyridamole alone or with daily low dose aspirin.
  • The main side effects of dipyridamole are feeling sick (nausea), diarrhoea and being sick (vomiting), headaches, feeling dizzy, or feeling hot and flushed.
  • You can drink alcohol with dipyridamole. However, do not drink too much while taking this medicine. It can make you dizzy or lightheaded.
  • Dipyridamole is also called by the brand names Attia, Ofcram, Persantin, Persantin Retard and Trolactin. Some products may contain a combination of dipyridamole and low dose aspirin (with the brand names Atransipar and Molita).

Who can and cannot take dipyridamole

Dipyridamole can be taken by adults to prevent strokes and after heart valve replacement surgery.

It is sometimes prescribed for children to treat a rare illness called Kawasaki disease or prevent blood clots after heart surgery.

Dipyridamole isn't suitable for some people. To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you:

How and when to take it

How much dipyridamole you take depends on what form you have been prescribed.

  • Slow-release (modified-release) capsules: these release the medicine slowly in your body over a number of hours. Take 1 capsule twice a day - usually 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening. Take your capsules with or shortly after a meal. Swallow the capsule whole. Do not crush or chew it. Capsules are not prescribed for children.
  • Tablets or liquid: your doctor will tell you whether to take your dose 3 or 4 times a day. Take it before meals at the same time each day. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. Dipyridamole liquid comes with a syringe or a spoon to help you take the right amount. If you don't have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one.

How much should I take?

The usual dose for slow-release capsules is 200mg twice a day.

The usual dose for tablets and liquid is 300mg to 600mg taken 3 or 4 times a day. Follow your doctor's instructions.

If the doctor prescribes it for your child, they usually need to take it 2 or 3 times a day. The doctor will use your child's weight to work out the right dose.

What if I forget to take it?

If you forget to take dipyridamole, take it as soon as you remember. If it's nearly time for your next dose, skip the missed dose.

Don't take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember to take your medicines.

What if I take too much?

Accidentally taking 1 or 2 extra doses is unlikely to harm you. However, the amount of dipyridamole that can lead to overdose is different from person to person.

Contact your doctor straight away if you've taken some extra medicine and you get side effects such as:

  • a faster heart rate or pain in your chest - these can be signs of a heart problem
  • feeling dizzy or lightheaded, especially when you stand up or sit up quickly
  • shortness of breath, wheezing and tightening of the chest

Side effects

Like all medicines, dipyridamole can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

Common side effects

These common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or don't go away:

  • feeling sick (nausea)
  • diarrhoea and being sick (vomiting)
  • headaches
  • feeling dizzy
  • feeling hot and flushed

Serious side effects

Serious side effects are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people.

Call a doctor straight away if:

  • you have chest pain, or a fast or uneven heartbeat
  • your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow - these are signs of a liver problem

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, dipyridamole can cause a serious allergic reaction.

These are not all the side effects of dipyridamole. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

How to cope with side effects

What to do about:

  • feeling sick (nausea) - try taking your tablets with or after a meal or snack. It may also help if you don't eat rich or spicy food.
  • diarrhoea and being sick (vomiting) - drink plenty of water in small, frequent sips. Speak to a pharmacist if you have signs of dehydration, such as peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Don't take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea or vomiting without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
  • headaches - make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Don't drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Talk to your doctor if the headaches are severe or last longer than a week.
  • feeling dizzy - if dipyridamole makes you feel dizzy when you stand up, try getting up very slowly or stay sitting down until you feel better. If you begin to feel dizzy, lie down so that you don't faint, then sit until you feel better. Don't drive or use tools or machines if you feel dizzy or a bit shaky.
  • feeling hot and flushed - try cutting down on coffee, tea and alcohol. It might help to keep the room cool and use a fan. You could also spray your face with cool water or sip cold or iced drinks. The flushing should go away after a few days. If it doesn't, or if it's causing you problems, contact your doctor.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Dipyridamole isn't normally recommended in pregnancy or when breastfeeding. However, your doctor may prescribe it if they think the benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks.

If you're planning a pregnancy or you are already pregnant, talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible harms of taking dipyridamole. These will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are and the reason you need to take it. There may be other treatments that are safer for you.

Dipyridamole and breastfeeding

There is not a lot of information about the safety of dipyridamole if you're breastfeeding. It's not known how much dipyridamole may get into your breast milk.

Talk to your doctor to discuss your choices if you want to breastfeed.

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines interfere with the way dipyridamole works.

Tell your doctor if you're taking these medicines before you start taking dipyridamole:

Taking dipyridamole with everyday painkillers

Your doctor may prescribe daily low dose aspirin (75mg tablets) to take together with dipyridamole. Or your doctor may prescribe dipyridamole 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 dipyridamole unless a doctor has said it's OK to. They increase the chance of bleeding.

You can take paracetamol together with dipyridamole.

Taking dipyridamole with indigestion medicines

Some indigestion medicines, such as omeprazole, may reduce the effect of dipyridamole. This is important if you're taking dipyridamole as tablets or liquid, but it's not a problem if you're taking capsules.

If you need to take indigestion medicines, do not take them at the same time of day as dipyridamole. Take them 2 to 3 hours before or after your dose of dipyridamole.

Mixing dipyridamole with herbal remedies and supplements

There might be a problem with taking some herbal remedies and supplements with dipyridamole, especially ones that can affect your blood, for example ginkgo.

Common questions

HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence

36 public posts

Has anyone used Dipyridamole with effect for RLS?

Consequently thereapies that increase adenosine may help with RLS and Dipyridamole may be one.
in Restless Legs Syndrome

Any information on dipyridamole for sleep ldd low dose Dipyridamole

Any further information on Dipyridamole as low dose Dipyridamole ldd for sleep
in Sleep Matters

Does anyone hear know about LDD (low dose dipyridamole) for fibro pain relief?

Percocet was slowly weaned off after 2 months of low dose dipyridamole use. This example illustrates that low dose oral dipyridamole is effective for the treatment of chronic rheumatic and fibromyalgia pain.
in Fibro Friends WSM
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Anyone know about or try LDD (low dose dipyridamole) for fibro pain relief?

Percocet was slowly weaned off after 2 months of low dose dipyridamole use. This example illustrates that low dose oral dipyridamole is effective for the treatment of chronic rheumatic and fibromyalgia pain.
in My Fibro Community

Anyone here familiar with LDD (low dose dipyridamole), new medicine to help fibro patients with pain relief?

Percocet was slowly weaned off after 2 months of low dose dipyridamole use. This example illustrates that low dose oral dipyridamole is effective for the treatment of chronic rheumatic and fibromyalgia pain.
in Fibromyalgia Action UK

Low Dose Dipyridamole for people that do not respond to other sleeping medications

I recently read an article that spoke about how very low doses of dipyridamole (less than 10mg daily) was discovered to help people with insomnia that do not respond to conventional sleeping medications.
in Sleep Matters

Has anyone here ever tried LDD (low dose dipyridamole) for their ED?

subjects with erectile dysfunction were treated with low dose oral dipyridamole prepared as in Example 1 as the sole treatment.
in Erectile Dysfunction Support

Dipyridamole and aspirin

This of the manufacturers site:- WHAT SHOULD I AVOID WHILE TAKING DIPYRIDAMOLE (PERSANTINE)? Do not take aspirin while you are taking dipyridamole. Many medicines available over the counter also contain aspirin or similar medicines called salicylates.
in British Heart Foundation

Dipyridamole :Another false dawn?

There are others, but Dipyridamole is an ENT inhibitor. So theoretically. Dipyridamole UP = Adenosine UP = dopamine and glutamate DOWN. It's a sort of ready made pramipexole plus gabapentin combination without their side effects. Careful. Do NOT rush out or try amazonning for dipyrthingy.
in Restless Legs Syndrome

Update to previous Clopidogrel post

Spoke to the GP'S pharmacist Monday who said ok to come off Clopidogrel but said they wouldn't normally prescribe aspirin on its own but only along side Dipyridamole, only if I couldn't take Dipyridamole would they prescribe aspirin on its own.
in British Heart Foundation

Alpha Stim

I was reading some of my doctors recommendations from John Hopkins Alpha Stim and Dipyridamole I am just wondering has anyone tried Alpha Stim or Dipyridamole
in Restless Legs Syndrome

Dipyridamole & Aspirin combined Vs Apixaban

However, two drugs that exhibit profound anti cancer effects are Dipyridamole & Aspirin. My question is, is it reasonable to use Dipyridamole & Aspirin combined in place of Apixaban? He is completely asymptomatic with his heart failure and prostate cancer. Would really appreciate some input.
in AF Association

MRI Stress test and drugs

Amongst other things it mentions stopping dipyridamole and Nicorandil. Don’t take these but I do have 40mg slow release nitrate , and 2 x 750mg Ranolozine, which was explained as ‘better and more modern than Nicorandil.’ Do I need to stop these too? Also asking the MRI etc, but replies are slow.
in British Heart Foundation

For those on statins: adding dipyridamole might be a good idea

Dipyridamole can be taken instead/with aspirin, and there is a version with aspirin in it (Aggrenox). My husband is taking astorvastatin and dipyridamole as Aggrenox (+ metformin, doxycycline, some tapeworm drugs and many supplements) following McLelland's metabolic approach.
in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Dipyridamole

Has anyone tried Dipyridamole for RSL Kind Regards Shumba
in Restless Legs Syndrome

How to starve cancer by jane Mclelland

Berberine Dipyridamole Metformin aspirin...some type of statins ursolic acid with Curcumin Vitamine C high dose... It may be useful to have opinion of our members.. ...regarding Janes approach
in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Dipyridamole further update

So all-in-all I’m really glad I embarked on the dipyridamole experiment.
in Restless Legs Syndrome

Statins + Dipyridamole?

Bottom-line: PCa resistance to statins can be blocked by Dipyridamole. Might be an important finding. Dipyridamole "is a medication that inhibits blood clot formation" [2].
in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Dr Callebout appointment

He said some were a good idea, such as chloroquine, dipyridamole, and propranolol, but that others were not, such as cimetidine and milk thistle. For example, rather than drinking any old green tea, he mentioned that matcha green tea powder was better. He said Earl Grey tea is good.
in SHARE Metastatic Breast Cancer

Adenosine and RLS - again

I have tried dipyridamole (which affects adenosine) for my rls. I'm not sure that it provided much relief to the actual symptoms but I almost immediately felt better when taking it - much less tired and more 'myself'.
in Restless Legs Syndrome
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