Ticagrelor
About
Ticagrelor belongs to the antiplatelet drugs (blood thinners) primarily taken to prevent heart attack or stroke in people at high risk of heart disease. Ticagrelor helps to prevent blood clots in people with acute coronary syndrome (heart doesn't receive enough oxygen) who have had stents placed in blood vessels in their heart. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks the blood flow to the heart. This blockage of arteries is often an accumulation of cholesterol, fat, and other substances, which form plaque in the arteries that feed the heart (coronary arteries). A heart attack signs include chest pain, upper body pain, sweating, nausea, fatigue, and trouble breathing.
Ticagrelor contains Ticagrelor, which is a blood thinner that prevents clot formation in the blood vessels. Platelets are blood cells that stick together and block any cuts and breaks in blood vessels. But platelets can stick together inside already narrowed blood vessels to form a clot in people at risk of heart attack or stroke. The clot can stop blood from flowing to the heart or brain and cause a heart attack or stroke. Here, Ticagrelor slows the blood's clotting action by making platelets less sticky.
Your doctor will advise you how often you take Ticagrelor based on your medical condition. In some cases, you may experience dyspnea (shortness of breath), tightness in the chest, blurred vision, nosebleeds, dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness. If side effects are persistent, talk to your doctor. Ticagrelor may cause you to bleed more easily. You should not take Ticagrelor if you have bleeding in your brain, a problem with blood flow, or any other bleeding risk factor.
Before taking the Ticagrelor, let your doctor know about all your allergic or hypersensitivity reactions to medicines or food. Ticagrelor should not be stopped even if you feel better without consulting your doctor, as stopping a sudden intake of Ticagrelor may worsen your condition and increase the risk of a future heart attack. The patient should inform the doctor that they are taking Ticagrelor before any surgery is scheduled or any new medicine is taken. Don't take Ticagrelor before or after having heart bypass surgery. Before using Ticagrelor, consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Uses of Ticagrelor
Medicinal Benefits
Ticagrelor is an antiplatelet (blood thinner) and plays a vital role in preventing the formation of harmful blood clots in your blood vessels. Ticagrelor work by preventing platelets from sticking together, thereby decreasing the formation of harmful blood clots. Thus, it reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and acute coronary syndrome (heart doesn't receive enough oxygen or blood) in heart disease patients and patients who have undergone recent heart surgery with a stent.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Ticagrelor
- Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
- Tightness in the chest
- Blurred vision
- Nosebleeds
- Dizziness
- Faintness or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
- High level of uric acid in your blood
- Severe pain and swelling in your joints – these are signs of gout
- Bruising
- Headache
- Diarrhoea
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- Bleeding after surgery or from cuts (for example, while shaving) and wounds more than is normal
- Bleeding from your stomach lining (ulcer)
- Bleeding gums
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
You should avoid taking Ticagrelor if you are allergic to Ticagrelor or any active and inactive ingredients present in it. Let your doctor know if you have a medical condition that causes bleeding such as hemophilia, stomach ulcer, or bleeding in your head or bowel. Caution is required before giving Ticagrelor to the kidney or liver problems patients. People affected with respiratory problems like asthma, nasal polyps, or rhinitis should consult a doctor before intake of Ticagrelor. Ticagrelor is not recommended for the breastfeeding mother as it passes into the breast milk. The safety and effectiveness in children less than 18 years of age have not been established, so Ticagrelor should not be given to them.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Ticagrelor interact with medicines to thin the blood or prevent blood clots (aspirin, warfarin), pain relievers (ibuprofen), antidepressants (citalopram, nefazodone), antibiotics (clarithromycin, rifampicin), to treat HIV infection and AIDS (ritonavir, atazanavir), anti-epileptic (phenytoin, carbamazepine), medicines used to lower cholesterol (simvastatin), medicine for heart problems(digoxin).
Drug-Food Interactions: Ticagrelor interacts with grapefruit, drinking grapefruit juice while taking Ticagrelor can increase the side effects of Ticagrelor. Ticagrelor may also interact with St John's wort plant (used for depression) and Ginkgo biloba and increase bleeding risk.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Ticagrelor should not be given to people with stomach ulcers, haemophilia (a bleeding disorder), haemorrhage (bleeding in your brain), and kidney or liver problems.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeIt is unsafe to consume alcohol since it may worsen the side effects like dizziness and increases blood pressure.
Pregnancy
cautionPlease consult the doctor. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies on pregnant women. Your doctor will prescribe only if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Breast Feeding
unsafeTicagrelor may pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in a breastfed child. Please consult your doctor before starting Ticagrelor.
Driving
cautionDo not drive or operate machinery if you experience dizziness or drowsiness while using Ticagrelor.
Liver
cautionLet your doctor know if you had or have any history of liver disease or hepatic impairment. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and potential risks before prescribing Ticagrelor. However, Ticagrelor is not recommended in patients with severe liver problems.
Kidney
cautionLet your doctor know if you had or have any history of kidney diseases/conditions. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and potential risks before prescribing Ticagrelor. However, Ticagrelor is not recommended in patients with severe kidney problems.
Children
cautionTicagrelor is not recommended for children below the age of 18 years. The safety and effectiveness of Ticagrelor have not been established in children.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Reducing weight and having a healthy BMI is very important in enhancing cardiac health.
- 30 minutes of daily physical exercise can go a long way in preventing heart disease.
- Avoid smoking to improve cardiac health.
- Invest in a healthy, balanced diet. Avoid fatty foods, keep your cholesterol in check and load up on the green leafy vegetables, fish, lean meats, nuts and dry fruits.
- Reducing stress is very important in keeping a healthy heart. Try yoga and meditation for a relaxed state of mind.
Special Advise
- Take Ticagrelor exactly as prescribed.
- Talk to your physician if you miss a dose of Ticagrelor. Never take a double dose.
- Do not discontinue taking Ticagrelor abruptly or without the physician's advice.
- Please know that your doctor may order blood tests to check your hormone levels while you are on Ticagrelor.
- Your doctor may order a D-dimer to check your clotting profile while on Ticagrelor.
- Your doctor may order liver function tests (LFT’s) and a complete blood picture (CBP) to ascertain the effects of Ticagrelor.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Blood clot: Blood clot is an aggregation of blood that changes from a liquid to a gel-like state. Clotting is a natural process that prevents you from losing too much blood in surgery or cut, accident, and trauma. When a clot forms inside the veins, it won't always dissolve independently and can become an even life-threatening situation.
Heart attack: Heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks the blood flow to the heart. This blockage of arteries is often an accumulation of fat, cholesterol, and other substances, which form a plaque in the arteries that feed the heart (coronary arteries). During a heart attack (myocardial infarction), the blood supply which nourishes the heart with oxygen is cut off. This causes the heart muscle to die. A heart attack signs include chest pain, upper body pain, sweating, nausea, fatigue, and trouble breathing.
Stroke: When our brain does not get sufficient oxygen and blood supply, it starts dying within a few minutes leading to a heart attack or stroke.
Acute coronary syndrome: Acute coronary syndrome is most often caused by plaque rupture or clot formation in the heart's arteries. The symptoms may include heart attack-like chest pressure, chest pressure while resting or doing light activity, or sudden heart stoppage.
FAQs
If the Ticagrelor is taken every day, the Ticagrelor stops platelets from clumping together to form unwanted blood clots and prevents heart attacks and strokes.
Yes, taking Ticagrelor can increase the risk of bleeding. So, please be very cautious while cutting fingernails or toenails, shaving, or using sharp objects to avoid bleeding.
Please consult your doctor if Ticagrelor needs to be stopped before undergoing surgery. The doctor might ask you to stop taking Ticagrelor a few days before surgery since it can cause an increased risk of bleeding during surgery.
There might be a problem if you take herbal therapies with Ticagrelor, especially those that affect blood like Ginkgo Biloba, Grapefruits, St John's wort plant extract used as an antidepressant. Taking together can increase your risk of bleeding. Tell your doctor if you are using any herbal supplements before taking Ticagrelor.
No, Ticagrelor may make it harder to breathe. Consult your doctor if the problem persists, he/she may adjust the dose or prescribe an alternative medicine.
Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Ticagrelor. Grapefruit juice may increase the blood-thinning effect of the medicine.
