Prasugrel oral tablet dosage: A detailed guide

This article describes prasugrel oral tablet’s dosages and strengths and gives details on how to take it. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for prasugrel. If you want to know more about prasugrel oral tablet, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Prasugrel oral tablet is a generic version of the brand-name drug Effient.

Boxed warning: Risk of serious bleeding

Prasugrel has a boxed warning for the risk of serious bleeding. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For details, see the “Dosage of prasugrel” section below. See the end of this article for more information about this warning.

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Form and strengths of prasugrel

Prasugrel oral tablet comes as follows:

• Form: a tablet that you swallow
• Strengths: 5 milligrams (mg), 10 mg

Dosage of prasugrel

This article describes the recommended dosages for prasugrel oral tablet. The drugmaker provides these dosages.

If your doctor prescribes this medication, you should follow the dosage they prescribe. Your doctor will determine the dosage that best meets your needs. Do not change your dosage of prasugrel oral tablet without your doctor’s recommendation.

Usual recommended dosages of prasugrel in adults

When you first start taking prasugrel oral tablet, your doctor may prescribe a loading dose followed by a maintenance dose. (A loading dose is a higher dose of medication given at the beginning of treatment so the drug can start working more quickly. A maintenance dose is what you’ll take throughout treatment, often after a loading dose.) Prasugrel oral tablet should be taken with aspirin every day.

The recommended loading dose and maintenance dose of prasugrel oral tablet in milligrams (mg) are:

• Loading dosage: 60 mg as a single dose
• Maintenance dosage: 10 mg once per day

Note: To reduce the risk of side effects, doctors may prescribe a maintenance dosage of 5 mg once per day if you weigh less than 60 kilograms (kg) or 132 pounds (lb).

Dosage adjustments for prasugrel

Your doctor will prescribe a dosage of prasugrel oral tablet based on several factors. These include:

• the specific condition being treated and how severe it is
• your age
• other health conditions you may have
• other medications you may take
• your body weight

Missed dose of prasugrel

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist right away if you realize you forgot to take a dose of prasugrel oral tablet. They may advise you to take the missed dose. Or they may advise you to skip it and take your next dose as scheduled.

For tips on how to plan your doses of prasugrel oral tablet and avoid missing a dose, read this article. You could also try:

• downloading a reminder app on your phone
• setting an alarm
• putting a note where you’ll see it, such as on your calendar, bathroom mirror, or bedside table

Frequently asked questions

Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about prasugrel oral tablet and its dosage.

Do older adults need to take a lower dose of prasugrel?

Maybe. Older adults, which typically refers to adults ages 65 years and older, may be at higher risk of serious bleeding problems from prasugrel than younger adults. Therefore, your doctor will weigh the risks and benefits of prasugrel before prescribing it. And if it’s prescribed, they may consider starting older adults at a lower dosage. Doctors may avoid prescribing prasugrel oral tablet for adults ages 75 years and older altogether, except in certain high risk situations.

If you have questions about the use of prasugrel, given your age, talk with your doctor.

Is prasugrel taken long term?

It depends. Doctors may prescribe prasugrel oral tablet as a short-term or long-term treatment depending on the reason for use and your risk of serious side effects, such as bleeding.

If you have questions about how long you should take prasugrel oral tablet, talk with your doctor.

How prasugrel is taken

After the initial loading dose, you’ll swallow prasugrel oral tablet once per day. You can take it with or without food. Store prasugrel tablets in the original container they come in, with the gray cylinder inside.

Your doctor may advise that you take this medication around the same time each day. This helps keep a consistent amount of the drug in your body. And that can help the drug work more effectively.

Swallow prasugrel oral tablets whole. Do not break, crush, or chew them. If it’s hard for you to swallow tablets, view this article. It provides suggestions on how to swallow medications that come in pill form.

Also, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re having difficulty taking your medication. They can offer recommendations about taking it.

Prasugrel coupon

Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for prasugrel when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs. 

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.

Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on some prescription medications.

Overdose of prasugrel

It’s important that you do not take more prasugrel oral tablet than your doctor prescribes. Doing so can lead to harmful effects.

What to do if you take too much prasugrel

If you think you’ve taken too much prasugrel, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.

What to ask your doctor

This article describes the usual recommended dosages for prasugrel oral tablet. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they’ll determine the dosage that’s best for you.

Do not change your dosage of prasugrel oral tablet without your doctor’s recommendation. You should take prasugrel oral tablet exactly as your doctor prescribes it. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about your treatment plan.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• Will a higher dosage increase my risk of bleeding problems?
• How long do I need to take prasugrel?
• Will my dosage of prasugrel change if I take other drugs with it?

Boxed warning for prasugrel

Prasugrel has a boxed warning for the risk of serious bleeding. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Prasugrel oral tablet can increase the risk of serious and life threatening bleeding. For this reason, your doctor likely won’t prescribe prasugrel in certain situations, including if you’re having heart bypass surgery, have had a stroke or a “ministroke,” or if you currently have atypical bleeding.  Certain factors may also increase your risk of bleeding. These may include:

• a body weight under 60 kg or 132 lb
• a tendency to bleed easily
• the use of other medications that increase your risk of bleeding

For details, see the “Dosage of prasugrel” section above. You can also talk with your doctor to learn more.

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.