How Effient Works
Effient® (prasugrel) is an oral antiplatelet medicine. This means that Effient can help maintain your stent by keeping the platelets in your blood from sticking together and forming blood clots inside of it, and inside the arteries of your heart.
Your doctor likely prescribed that you take Effient along with aspirin. Aspirin is also an antiplatelet medicine. But it helps protect you in a different way than prescription antiplatelet medicines like Effient.
Together, Effient and aspirin help reduce your risk for another serious problem with your heart or blood vessels such as another heart attack, a stroke, blood clot in your stent or death.
Antiplatelet medicines like Effient reduce the ability of blood to clot, which is good when it comes to your stent and the arteries of your heart. On the other hand, because your blood doesn't clot as well, antiplatelet medicines can also increase the risk of bleeding. Bleeding is the most common side effect of Effient. Some bleeding can be life-threatening and even fatal. See Safety and Side Effects section to learn more about the safety profile of Effient.
How is Effient different from other medications?
Each medicine plays its own unique role in your treatment and each is important to your heart health.
Your doctor prescribed Effient because it works to help reduce the risk of blood clots forming and causing dangerous blockages inside your stent and the arteries of your heart which is a major concern among cardiologists.
Medications for things like high blood pressure and high cholesterol do not reduce the risk of blood clots inside your stent and heart arteries. These medicines are important to help keep your heart healthy in other ways. That's why it's also important to help protect your stent and heart arteries with Effient.
Tell your doctor about any medical conditions or allergies you may have as well as any medicines you are taking. Be sure to ask your doctor if you have questions about Effient or other medications you're taking.