Prescription medication · P2Y12 Inhibitor (Antiplatelet)
prasugrel
Also sold as Effient. Prasugrel helps prevent dangerous blood clots if you have acute coronary syndrome.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 2,254
- FDA reportsRarely reported
- 6
- InteractionsFew interactions
- 99% less
- Generic vs brandHuge savings
- 1
- Recall record
What the data shows
prasugrel (Effient) is a prescription P2Y12 Inhibitor (Antiplatelet), among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (2,254 FDA reports), whose generic costs a fraction of the brand (about 99% less).
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
prasugrel (Effient) is a prescription P2Y12 Inhibitor (Antiplatelet). Prasugrel helps prevent dangerous blood clots if you have acute coronary syndrome.
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).
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
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.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from prasugrel's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
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.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 2,254 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for prasugrel, by number of reports
- Myocardial Infarction
Myocardial Infarction
172 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
106 reports
- Acute Myocardial Infarction
Acute Myocardial Infarction
102 reports
- Chest Pain
Chest Pain
90 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
90 reports
- Drug Interaction
Drug Interaction
79 reports
- Dizziness
Dizziness
78 reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
71 reports
- Vascular Stent Thrombosis 67
Vascular Stent Thrombosis
67 reports
- Diarrhoea 64
Diarrhoea
64 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for prasugrel each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where prasugrel sits
prasugrel has more FDA adverse-event reports than 14% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is prasugrel; the line is the median (50th percentile).
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
Reports Mentioning Death
251
11.1% of reports — not proof of cause
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 |
| 3 | DYSPNOEA | 106 |
| 4 | ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 102 |
| 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 |
| 16 | EPISTAXIS | 59 |
| 17 | HYPERTENSION | 59 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: 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,...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
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?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for prasugrel?
Has prasugrel been recalled?
Active Recalls
Failed Dissolution Specifications - low dissolution results
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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.
Compare with prasugrel →
aspirin
Bayer, Ecotrin
Aspirin is a common medicine used to relieve minor pain.
Compare with prasugrel →
cilostazol
Pletal
Cilostazol is a medicine that helps improve walking distance in people with leg pain due to poor circulation.
Compare with prasugrel →
clopidogrel
Plavix
Clopidogrel is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots.
Compare with prasugrel →
dabigatran
Pradaxa
Dabigatran (Pradaxa) is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots from forming.
Compare with prasugrel →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for prasugrel: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 2,254.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 11.14%.
- ascorbic acid Δ 0.00 pts · 22,556 reports · Vitamin C Supplement 11.13%death share
- clopidogrel Δ 0.04 pts · 192,921 reports · Antiplatelet Agent 11.10%death share
- lansoprazole Δ 0.04 pts · 173,086 reports · Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) 11.18%death share
- tamsulosin Δ 0.05 pts · 18,628 reports · Alpha-1 Adrenergic Blocker 11.09%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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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 2,254 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 are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
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. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: March 2, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
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