Plavix is a medication prescribed to keep platelets in the blood from clotting and prevent unwanted blood clots that can result in a stroke or a heart attack. Prilosec is a proton pump inhibitor used to treat symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease and other conditions that are caused by excess amount of stomach acid. Given together, Plavix and Prilosec can produce dangerous drug interactions that may leave the individual exposed to a higher risk of a heart attack or death.
Inhibition of Plavix
According to a release published November 2009 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, new data has suggested that individuals who take both medications concurrently will find that the ability of Plavix to block platelet aggregation is reduced by approximately half. According to Mary Southworth of the Division of Cardiovascular and Renal Products at the FDA, patients who take these drugs currently are at greater risk for heart attack or stroke because Plavix will not prevent platelet aggregation to the full effect. Plavix does not produce anticlotting factors until it is converted or metabolized by the liver into its active form. Prilosec blocks the enzyme that produces the effect.
Heart Attack
As a result of the reduced platelet aggregation function of Plavix, individuals who are taking both medications concurrently will be at higher risk for a heart attack, according to Drugs.com. Decreased effectiveness of Plavix with poor clinical outcomes in patients who had genetic decreased effectiveness of the enzyme required to activate Plavix, resulted in an increase in short-term risk of reinfarction following a heart attack. Because Prilosec creates the same situation in the body, individuals who are taking both medications concurrently also have a higher risk of reinfarction following a heart attack.
Stroke
In an early communication, the Food and Drug Administration notified health care providers of the negative safety issues with Plavix and Prilosec. According to AboutLawsuits.com, Plavix has been found to be ineffective in as much as 30 percent of heart patients who have genetic factors that reduce the enzyme required to activate the medication. The reduced effectiveness of the platelet aggregation properties of Plavix will increase the risk that an individual will suffer a stroke.
Confusion
According to Drugs.com, individuals taking Plavix may experience effects such a headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech or balance. These side effects may be significantly worse when the medication becomes less effective but the blood levels remain high. Neurological side effects may also be confused with early symptoms of stroke and should be addressed immediately by emergency room physicians.
