Public Health Advisory
FDA Says Heartburn Drugs May Interfere with Plavix
The Food and Drug Administration officials issued a Public Health Advisory regarding Plavix and OTC heartburn medications, especially Prilosec and Nexium. The heartburn medications can interfere with the effectiveness of Plavix, a blood thinner taken by millions of people to reduce stroke and heart attack risks. The FDA said Prilosec and Nexium reduced the effectiveness of Plavix’s blood-thinning capabilities by half. FDA regulators said that the active ingredient in the popular heartburn pharmaceuticals potentially put some people at risk by blocking an enzyme that the body needs to break down Plavix (clopidogrel).