Reduce the risk of blood clots with Plavix

Blood clots can limit or completely restrict the flow of blood to important areas of the body, leading to heart attacks or strokes. For people that already suffered a stroke or heart attack, or have poor circulation as a result of peripheral artery disease (PAD), are even more likely to form clots in their arteries. If you’re working on long-term prevention, it can also help to understand the top risk factors of heart disease.

Blood clots are a natural defense mechanism, protecting the body from excessive bleeding in the case of an injury. Whenever a cut occurs, platelets stick together to form a clot. Clots can also be formed when platelets clump together on or near the plaque (a rupture of a cholesterol buildup in the walls of the arteries.

Plavix

PLAVIX is a prescription medication that prevents platelets from sticking together (clotting), improving blood flow to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Taking PLAVIX daily can help reduce the risk of a future heart attack or stroke. If you’re also managing circulation issues related to PAD, you may want to read about leg pain caused by intermittent claudication.

Physicians often prescribe aspirin in combination with PLAVIX to provide more protection against a future heart attack or stroke than aspirin alone. Your doctor may recommend using PLAVIX daily with aspirin if you:

• Have been hospitalized for unstable angina
• Have suffered a non-Q-wave heart attack

These events are sometimes referred to as acute coronary syndrome (ACS). For the millions of people suffering from ACS, taking Plavix and aspirin can help make a difference.

It is important to understand that Plavix doesn’t work the same as medications that reduce blood pressure or cholesterol. Medications like Lipitor keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at appropriate levels, but do not reduce clotting. To better understand cholesterol goals, see Know Your Cholesterol Levels (and if you want more detail on statins specifically, the facts about Lipitor). Clotting is the major cause of most heart attacks and strokes.

Why Plavix?

Taking Plavix daily helps protect you against another heart attack or stroke.

If you’ve already suffered a heart attack, you are:

• 5X more likely to suffer another heart attack (than the general population)
• 3X more likely to suffer a stroke than the general population)

If you’ve already suffered a stroke, you are:

• 9X more likely to suffer another stroke (than the general population)
• 2X more likely to suffer a heart attack (than the general population)

If you suffer from peripheral artery disease, you are:

• 4X as likely to suffer a heart attack (than the general population)
• 2X as likely to have a stroke (than the general population)
• 15X more likely to die from cardiovascular disease

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