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Prasugrel
Prasugrel is a potentially life-saving drug that is used in serious situations, such as after a heart attack. When taken with aspirin, the prescription tablets help prevent blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and death following angioplasty heart procedures. As with most drugs that affect the blood's ability to form clots, prasugrel can cause serious side effects (mostly related to the risk of bleeding).
Prasugrel (Effient®) is a prescription medication approved to reduce the risk of a heart attack or other serious problems related to blood clots in the heart or blood vessels. It is used in people who have had an angioplasty procedure to treat a blocked coronary artery after experiencing a heart attack or heart-related chest pain.
(Click What Is Prasugrel Used For? for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
Just like any medicine, prasugrel can cause side effects. Although some reactions to this medication are merely bothersome, some can be quite dangerous. Most serious side effects are related to the increased risk of bleeding.
In clinical studies, some of the most common problems reported in people taking this medication (plus aspirin) included but were not limited to:
- Bleeding, including dangerous internal bleeding
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Headache
- High cholesterol.
(Click Side Effects of Prasugrel to learn more, including potentially serious side effects you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD