Drug Mechanism: How does Plavix work?
Generic Plavix 75 mg (Clopidogrel) works by preventing excessive blood clotting. It blocks
a specific receptor, which in turn prevents fibrinogen from binding at those receptors.
Fibrinogen is needed for a clot to form, and if it is not bound to its receptor,
there is a decreased chance for clots to form in that area.
Generic Plavix 75 mg (Clopidogrel) is similar to ticlopidine (Ticlid) in chemical structure
and in the way it works. Unlike ticlopidine, clopidogrel does not cause serious
reductions of white cells in the blood and, therefore, routine blood testing to
determine if the white blood cell count is low is not necessary during treatment.
The risk of heart attacks and strokes (which usually are caused by blood clots)
is increased in patients with a recent history of stroke or heart attack and patients
with peripheral vascular disease. (Peripheral vascular disease is the same as
atherosclerotic arterial disease or \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"hardening\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" of the arteries in which the arteries
become narrowed. It frequently occurs in the legs and often causes claudication
or pain in the legs upon walking). Generic Plavix 75 mg is used to reduce the risk of
heart attacks and strokes in these patients.
Clopidogrel was approved by the FDA in 1997.
