Pletal

Pletal is a vasodilator that helps relax the muscles in your blood vessels, allowing them to widen. This medicine dilates the arteries that supply blood to your legs. It also helps improve blood flow by preventing platelets in the blood from sticking together and forming clots.

Pletal is used to treat the symptoms of intermittent claudication. This condition reduces blood flow to the legs, which can cause pain while walking. This medicine can help you walk longer distances without pain.

Pletal may also be used for reasons not mentioned in this medication guide.

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Pletal is usually taken twice a day on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before or 2 hours after breakfast or dinner.

Take the medicine at the same time each day.

It may take up to 12 weeks before your symptoms improve. Keep using the medication as directed and tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 3 months of treatment.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Do not take Pletal if you have any type of heart failure.

You should not take Pletal if you have heart failure of any kind. This medicine can make this condition worse.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• bleeding problems;
• liver or kidney disease;
• a heart attack or stroke; or
• if you smoke.

It is not known whether Pletal will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

You should not breastfeed while using Pletal.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Pletal may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor immediately if you have:

• chest pain, pounding heartbeats, or fluttering in your chest;
• a light-headed feeling, as if you might pass out;
• fever, chills, sore throat, mouth sores; or
• easy bruising, unusual bleeding, purple or red spots under your skin.

Common side effects of Pletal may include:

• diarrhea, abnormal bowel movements;
• headache; or
• fast or pounding heartbeats.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Take the medicine as soon as you remember, but skip the missed dose if it is nearly time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at the same time.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Grapefruit may interact with Pletal and cause unwanted side effects. Do not use grapefruit products.

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications together. Some drugs can change the levels of other drugs in your blood, which may lead to more side effects or make the medications work less effectively.

Many drugs can affect Pletal. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.