AntiplateletPrescription only
Clopidogrel
Tablet
Quick Summary
Clopidogrel stops platelets sticking together. It's often given with aspirin after a stent.
After a heart attack or stent
After a stroke
Peripheral arterial disease
Medical Uses
After a heart attack or stent: Usually with aspirin.
After a stroke: Preventing another.
Peripheral arterial disease: Lowering heart and stroke risk.
How it's taken
Take once a day. Don't stop without your heart specialist's advice, especially after a stent.
Your doctor decides the right dose for you and how long to take it.
Your doctor decides the right dose for you. Follow their instructions and the label.
Common Side Effects
Bruising and bleeding
Easier than usual.
Indigestion
Sometimes.
Rash
Rarely.
Interactions
Omeprazole and esomeprazole
Can reduce its effect.
NSAIDs and other blood thinners
Increase bleeding.
Critical Warnings
Bleeding
Black Box Warning: Seek urgent help for black stools, vomiting blood, severe headache or bleeding that won't stop.
Don't stop early after a stent
Black Box Warning: It can cause a clot in the stent.
Sources and further reading
Last updated 21 October 2026. For more detail, see these trusted health organisations.
- Clopidogrel: drug information(opens in a new tab) · MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Clopidogrel: an antiplatelet medicine to prevent blood clots(opens in a new tab) · NHS