clopidogrel vs warfarin
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Side-by-side comparison of clopidogrel and warfarin. 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
( 7.3 ) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), warfarin, selective serotonin and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, SNRIs): Increases risk of bleeding. 7.5 Warfarin (CYP2C9 Substrates) Although the administration of clopidogrel 75 mg per day did not modify the pharmacokinetics of S-warfarin (a CYP2C9 substrate) or INR in patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy, coadministration of clopidogrel with warfarin increases the risk of bleeding because of independent effects on hemostasis.
Plavix
Coumadin, Jantoven
Clopidogrel is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots. It is used to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Warfarin is a medicine that helps prevent blood clots. It is used to treat and prevent dangerous clots from forming in your body.
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.
Warfarin is used to prevent and treat blood clots in your veins and lungs. It can also prevent clots if you have atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) or a replacement heart valve. After a heart attack, it can lower the risk of death, another heart attack, or a stroke.
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.
Warfarin works by blocking your body's use of vitamin K. Vitamin K is needed to make blood clotting factors. By blocking vitamin K, warfarin makes your blood less likely to clot.
- • Bleeding
- • Bleeding from any tissue or organ
- Dyspnoea 9,917
- Myocardial Infarction 9,459
- Fatigue 8,479
- Gastrointestinal Haemorrhage 8,202
- Nausea 7,881
- International Normalised Ratio Increased 10,276
- Dyspnoea 8,408
- Drug Interaction 6,288
- Fatigue 6,143
- Nausea 5,921
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.
Warfarin can cause major or fatal bleeding. You must have your blood tested regularly (INR) while taking warfarin. Many things, like other medicines and diet changes, can affect your INR. Tell your doctor about any bleeding and follow their instructions to prevent bleeding.
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.
Warfarin can harm your unborn baby, especially during the first three months of pregnancy. Do not take warfarin if you are pregnant, unless you have a mechanical heart valve and your doctor says the benefits outweigh the risks. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding, and watch your baby for bruising or bleeding.
How to Read This clopidogrel vs warfarin Comparison
clopidogrel is classified in the Antiplatelet Agent drug class, while warfarin sits within the Vitamin K Antagonist (Anticoagulant) 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 43,938 submissions while warfarin has 37,036. 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 medicines work to prevent blood clots, but they do it in different ways. using them together makes it much easier for you to bleed or bruise.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for clopidogrel or warfarin.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.