clopidogrel vs rivaroxaban
Side-by-side comparison of clopidogrel and rivaroxaban. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
7.4 Anticoagulants and NSAIDs/Aspirin Coadministration of enoxaparin, warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel and chronic NSAID use may increase the risk of bleeding [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ].
Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor you closely for any signs of bleeding while taking these medicines.
Plavix
Xarelto
Clopidogrel is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots. It is used to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots from forming. It is used to lower the risk of stroke and treat or prevent dangerous clots in your veins and lungs.
Clopidogrel is used to prevent heart attack and stroke in adults. It is for people who have had a recent heart attack or stroke. It is also for people with peripheral arterial disease (poor circulation). Clopidogrel can also help people with chest pain or certain heart problems.
This medicine can help prevent strokes in people with an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. It also treats blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) and lungs (pulmonary embolism or PE). Rivaroxaban can also lower the risk of these clots coming back. It is also used to prevent blood clots after hip or knee replacement surgery and in acutely ill patients.
Clopidogrel keeps blood platelets from sticking together and forming clots. It blocks a substance that causes platelets to clump. This helps blood flow more freely through your body.
Rivaroxaban is a factor Xa inhibitor. It blocks a substance in your blood called factor Xa. By blocking factor Xa, the medicine helps to prevent blood clots from forming.
- • Bleeding
- • Bleeding
- • Cough
- • Vomiting
- • Gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines)
- Shortness of breath 9,917
- Heart attack 9,461
- Tiredness 8,476
- Bleeding in the stomach or intestines 8,205
- Feeling sick to your stomach 7,878
- Bleeding in the stomach or intestines 21,559
- Bleeding 7,713
- Shortness of breath 7,149
- Nosebleed 6,698
- Tiredness 6,546
This drug may not work well for people with certain genes. If you have two copies of a certain gene, clopidogrel may not prevent clots as well. Your doctor may consider a different medicine for you.
This medicine has two important warnings. First, stopping this medicine too early can increase your risk of blood clots. Do not stop taking it without talking to your doctor first. Second, if you receive spinal anesthesia or have a spinal puncture while taking this medicine, you have a risk of a blood clot forming around your spine, which can cause long-term paralysis.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Clopidogrel may increase bleeding during labor and delivery. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medicine may cause bleeding problems during pregnancy and delivery. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare rivaroxaban with
How to Read This clopidogrel vs rivaroxaban Comparison
clopidogrel is classified in the Antiplatelet Agent drug class, while rivaroxaban sits within the Direct Oral Anticoagulant (Factor Xa Inhibitor) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, clopidogrel has 43,937 submissions while rivaroxaban has 49,665. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both drugs work to prevent blood clots, so taking them together makes it much easier for you to bleed.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between clopidogrel and rivaroxaban - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.