Clopidogrel
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Clopidogrel Actavis. It does not contain all available information, nor does it take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Clopidogrel Actavis against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
If you have any concerns about this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
What Clopidogrel Actavis is used for
Clopidogrel Actavis contains the medicine clopidogrel. Clopidogrel Actavis belongs to a group of medicines called anti-platelet medicines.
Platelets are very small blood cells which clump together during blood clotting. By preventing this clumping, anti-platelet medicines reduce the chances of blood clots forming (a process called thrombosis).
Clopidogrel Actavis is used to prevent blood clots forming in hardened blood vessels (a process known as atherothrombosis) which can lead to events such as stroke, heart attack or death.
You may have been prescribed Clopidogrel Actavis to help prevent blood clots forming and to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack and death because:
- You have previously suffered a heart attack, stroke or have a condition known as peripheral arterial disease (leg pain on walking or at rest).
Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another use. If you want more information, ask your doctor.
Clopidogrel Actavis is only available on a doctor’s prescription.
Before you take Clopidogrel Actavis
When you must not take Clopidogrel Actavis
You should not take Clopidogrel Actavis if:
- you are allergic to clopidogrel or any of the ingredients listed under ‘Product Description’ at the end of this leaflet.
- you have a medical condition that is causing bleeding such as a stomach ulcer or bleeding within your head.
- you suffer from severe liver disease.
- you are breast feeding or intend to breast feed. Clopidogrel Actavis passes into breast milk and, therefore, there is the possibility that the breast fed baby may be affected.
- the packaging shows signs of tampering.
- the expiry date on the pack has passed. If you use this product after the expiry date has passed, it may not work.
Do not take Clopidogrel Actavis to treat any other complaint unless your doctor says it is safe. Do not give this medicine to anyone else.
Clopidogrel Actavis is not recommended for children as its safety and effectiveness in children have not been established.
Before you start to take Clopidogrel Actavis
You must tell your doctor if:
- You are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Your doctor will discuss the possible risks and benefits of taking Clopidogrel Actavis during pregnancy.
- You are planning to have an operation (including dental surgery) in the next two weeks. Your doctor will decide whether or not you need to stop Clopidogrel Actavis prior to surgery.
- If you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:
– bleeding disorders or blood clotting problems
– any illness or disability that was caused by bleeding, for example impaired sight or vision because of bleeding within the eye
– recent serious injury
– recent surgery (including dental surgery)
– any form of liver disease
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking Clopidogrel Actavis.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food store.
Some medicines and Clopidogrel Actavis may interfere with each other. These include:
- medicines that “thin the blood”. The most common examples of these include aspirin, heparins and warfarin. There are others so please check with your doctor.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) -medicines used to treat arthritis, period pain, aches and pains.
- phenytoin – a medicine used to treat epilepsy
- tolbutamide – a medicine used to treat diabetes
- tamoxifen – a medicine used to treat breast cancer
- fluvastatin – a medicine used to lower cholesterol.
These medicines may be affected by Clopidogrel Actavis or affect how well Clopidogrel Actavis works.
Your doctor may need to change the amount of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
If you are unsure about any medicine you are taking you should check with your doctor or pharmacist. They will have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Clopidogrel Actavis.
How to take Clopidogrel Actavis
Your doctor will tell you how many tablets to take each day. Take Clopidogrel Actavis only as prescribed by your doctor and follow his or her directions carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
The usual dose of Clopidogrel Actavis is one 75 mg tablet daily. You can take Clopidogrel Actavis before or after meals. You should swallow the tablet with a glass of water.
Take Clopidogrel Actavis at about the same time each day. Taking your tablet at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you to remember when to take it.
You should take Clopidogrel Actavis for as long as your doctor continues to prescribe it.
If you forget to take it
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (Overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor, or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Clopidogrel Actavis. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
While you are taking Clopidogrel Actavis
Things you must do
- Take Clopidogrel Actavis exactly as your doctor has prescribed, and have any blood tests promptly if your doctor orders them.
- Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking Clopidogrel Actavis.
- Tell your doctor if you decide to breast feed your baby. Your doctor may want to discuss this and change your medicine.
- Tell your doctor that you are taking Clopidogrel Actavis if you are about to start on any new medicine.
- Tell all your doctors, dentists, nurses and pharmacists that you are taking Clopidogrel Actavis. Clopidogrel Actavis may increase the risk of bleeding during an operation or some dental work. Therefore, treatment may need to be stopped before surgery. Your doctor will decide whether to stop Clopidogrel Actavis and if so, how long before surgery or dental work.
- Ask you doctor whether there are any activities you should avoid while taking Clopidogrel Actavis, for example certain sports. Sometimes after an injury bleeding may occur inside your body without you knowing about it.
- Tell your doctor immediately if you are injured while taking Clopidogrel Actavis.
It may take longer than usual to stop bleeding while you are taking Clopidogrel Actavis. - Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
– abnormal bruising orbleeding abnormal nose bleeds
– bloody or black bowel motions
– red or purple blotches on your skin
– swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty swallowing or breathing (see also ‘Side effects’ section)
Do not suddenly stop taking Clopidogrel Actavis without telling your doctor.
Things to be careful of
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Clopidogrel Actavis affects you. As with other NSAID medicines, Clopidogrel Actavis may cause dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision in some people.
Make sure you know how you react to Clopidogrel Actavis before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Clopidogrel Actavis tablets. Like other medicines Clopidogrel Actavis can cause some side effects. Most are likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and need medical attention.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- diarrhoea
- itching
- pain or stiffness in the joints
- things taste different.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
(NOTE: If you take both Clopidogrel Actavis and aspirin the risk of side effects related to bleeding may be increased.)
- bloody or black bowel motions
- diarrhoea with blood, mucus, stomach pain and fever
- abdominal or stomach pain
- vomiting of blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- coughing up blood
- blood in the urine
- blood in the eyes
- unusually heavy bleeding or oozing from cuts or wounds
- bleeding (including nose bleeds) or bruising more easily than normal
- unusually heavy or unexpected menstrual bleeding
- numbness (paralysis) or problems with co-ordination
- nausea or vomiting
- faintness or dizziness
- light-headedness or blurred vision
- slurred speech or other difficulty in speaking
- headache (severe and continuing)
- confusion or hallucinations
- fever or other signs of infection, such as a sore throat
- rash or hives
- chills, sweating or clammy skin
- fever, muscle weakness, loss of appetite and fatigue
- muscle pain
- weight loss
- anaemia (being tired and looking pale)
- red or purple spots visible through your skin
- itching, inflamed, cracking or red skin
- tightness of the chest, wheezing, coughing or difficulty breathing
- yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, pale stools
- and dark urine with vomiting and stomach pain
- swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
These could be more serious side effects – you may need urgent medical attention.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice any other effects.
Do not be alarmed by this list of side effects. Most people do not experience any of them.
After taking Clopidogrel Actavis
Storage
Keep your tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them. If you take your tablets out of the box or blister pack they will not keep well.
Keep Clopidogrel Actavis in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25 degrees C. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines. Do not leave Clopidogrel Actavis in the car on hot days.
Do not store Clopidogrel Actavis or any other medication in the bathroom or near a sink.
Keep Clopidogrel Actavis where young children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one and a half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking Clopidogrel Actavis, ask your pharmacist what to do with any tablets that are left over.
Product description
What Clopidogrel Actavis looks like
Clopidogrel Actavis comes as pink round biconvex tablets with ‘II’ engraved on one side.
A box contains 28 tablets.
Active Ingredient:
clopidogrel 75 mg
Other Ingredients:
- lactose anhydrous
- cellulose-microcrystalline
- crospovidone
- glyceryl behenate
- talc – purified
- polyvinyl alcohol, talc-purified, titanium dioxide, macrogol 3350, lecithin, iron oxide red C177491
Supplier
Actavis Australia Pty Ltd
Upper Ground Floor
183 Melbourne Street
North Adelaide SA 5006
Australia
Tel: 1300 881 893
Australian Register Number
75 mg tablets: Bottle: AUST R 164865
Blister: AUST R 164866
This leaflet was prepared in February 2012.
Published by MIMS April 2012