prasugrel
Brand names: Effient
Prasugrel is a drug that helps prevent blood clots. It is used to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots in people with acute coronary syndrome who are undergoing a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$19.45/unit
Generic Price
$0.27/unit
Generic Savings
99%
Generic Available
Yes (6 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Prasugrel helps prevent dangerous blood clots if you have acute coronary syndrome.
Common side effects
Bleeding
Key warnings
Prasugrel can cause serious bleeding, which can sometimes be fatal.
How It Works
Prasugrel belongs to a class of drugs called P2Y12 inhibitors. It works by blocking a substance in your blood called ADP. By blocking ADP, prasugrel helps prevent platelets (blood cells that cause clotting) from sticking together and forming unwanted blood clots.
How to Take It
You will usually take a 60 mg dose of prasugrel to start. After that, you will take 10 mg once a day. You can take prasugrel with or without food. You should also take aspirin (75 mg to 325 mg) every day while you are taking prasugrel.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
There is not enough information about the safety of prasugrel during pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if prasugrel passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding while taking this medicine.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of prasugrel, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store prasugrel tablets at room temperature (68° to 77°F) in the original container, and do not break the tablets.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 987 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 2,254 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2009–2025.
Total Reports
2,254
Death-Related Reports
251
Hospitalization Reports
1,074
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 172 |
| 2 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 106 |
| 3 | DYSPNOEA | 106 |
| 4 | ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 102 |
| 5 | OFF LABEL USE | 93 |
| 6 | CHEST PAIN | 90 |
| 7 | NAUSEA | 90 |
| 8 | DRUG INTERACTION | 79 |
| 9 | DIZZINESS | 78 |
| 10 | FATIGUE | 71 |
| 11 | VASCULAR STENT THROMBOSIS | 67 |
| 12 | DIARRHOEA | 64 |
| 13 | GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE | 64 |
| 14 | MYALGIA | 63 |
| 15 | HEADACHE | 60 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Prasugrel can cause serious bleeding, which can sometimes be fatal. You should not take this medicine if you have active bleeding or have had a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). If you are 75 or older, prasugrel is generally not recommended due to the increased risk of bleeding, unless you have diabetes or have had a prior heart attack. Do not start prasugrel if you are likely to need urgent heart bypass surgery (CABG). If possible, stop taking prasugrel at least 7 days before any surgery. Other things that raise your bleeding risk are: body weight under 60 kg, a tendency to bleed easily, and taking other medicines that increase bleeding risk. If you have low blood pressure and recently had a heart procedure or surgery, suspect bleeding. If possible, manage bleeding without stopping prasugrel, because stopping it can raise your risk of heart problems.
Known Drug Interactions
Table 3: Drugs that Can Increase the Risk of Bleeding Drug Class Specific Drugs Anticoagulants argatroban, dabigatran, bivalirudin, desirudin, heparin, lepirudin Antiplatelet Agents aspirin, cilostazol, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, prasugrel, ticlopidine Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents celecoxib, diclofenac, diflunisal, fenoprofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, ketorolac, mefenamic acid, naproxen, oxaprozin, piroxicam, sulindac Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors citalopram, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, milnacipran, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafa...
Mechanism: Both drugs work to prevent blood clots, so taking them together makes it much harder for your blood to clot. This increases your risk of serious bleeding.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor you closely for any signs of bleeding. They may need to adjust your dose or check your blood more often.
Prasugrel can be administered with aspirin (75 mg to 325 mg per day), heparin, GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors, statins, digoxin, and drugs that elevate gastric pH, including proton pump inhibitors and H 2 blockers [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Mechanism: These two drugs are often used together to help prevent blood clots by stopping platelets from sticking together in different ways.
What to do: These medications are safe to take together as directed by your doctor, usually to help prevent heart-related issues.
Consider the use of a parenteral anti-platelet agent in acute coronary syndrome patients requiring coadministration of morphine or other opioid agonists.
Mechanism: Morphine can slow down how fast the body absorbs prasugrel, which may delay its effect on blood clotting.
What to do: Your doctor may consider using an injectable blood thinner if you need morphine for heart-related pain.
Prasugrel can be administered with aspirin (75 mg to 325 mg per day), heparin, GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors, statins, digoxin, and drugs that elevate gastric pH, including proton pump inhibitors and H 2 blockers [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Mechanism: These two drugs do not have a known harmful interaction when used at the same time.
What to do: You can safely take these medications together as directed by your healthcare provider.
Prasugrel can be administered with aspirin (75 mg to 325 mg per day), heparin, GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors, statins, digoxin, and drugs that elevate gastric pH, including proton pump inhibitors and H 2 blockers [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Mechanism: These drugs are safe to use together and do not cause a negative reaction in the body.
What to do: No special changes are needed when taking these two medications together.
Common Questions
What should I do if I experience unusual bleeding while taking prasugrel?
Can I take other medications with prasugrel?
How long will I need to take prasugrel?
What if I need to have surgery while taking prasugrel?
Can prasugrel cause allergic reactions?
Will prasugrel interact with my other medications?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Is it safe to drink alcohol while taking prasugrel?
How often should I see my doctor while taking prasugrel?
Can I stop taking prasugrel on my own?
What are the common side effects of prasugrel?
Does prasugrel interact with other medications?
What drug class is prasugrel?
Is there a generic version of prasugrel?
Is prasugrel safe during pregnancy?
Has prasugrel been recalled?
Active Recalls
Failed Dissolution Specifications - low dissolution results
MYLAN PHARMACEUTICALS INC
Related Medications in P2Y12 Inhibitor (Antiplatelet)
Other drugs grouped near prasugrel — same-class peers and common alternatives.
apixaban
Eliquis
Apixaban (Eliquis) is a medicine that helps prevent blood clots.
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aspirin
Bayer, Ecotrin
Aspirin is a common medicine used to relieve minor pain.
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cilostazol
Pletal
Cilostazol is a medicine that helps improve walking distance in people with leg pain due to poor circulation.
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clopidogrel
Plavix
Clopidogrel is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots.
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dabigatran
Pradaxa
Dabigatran (Pradaxa) is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots from forming.
Compare with prasugrel →
Medication Guides
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What the FDA Data Shows for prasugrel
The FDA label for prasugrel (sold under brand names such as Effient) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the P2Y12 Inhibitor (Antiplatelet) class. Prasugrel helps prevent dangerous blood clots if you have acute coronary syndrome. Official labeling lists 1 commonly reported side effect, including Bleeding.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 987 voluntary reports. The database also lists 6 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.27 versus $19.45 for the brand — a 99% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 1 recall record on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: March 2, 2025
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages