Generic Pletal

Pletal is pain relief medication manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. with generic name cilostazol. Pletal is used to treat patients with intermittent claudation, or pain caused by walking. This type of pain is characterized by its quick disappearance when at rest and resumes when the patient starts walking again. It relieves the pain by widening the arteries in the legs to promote blood flow and by preventing the platelets in the blood from forming blood clots. It comes in 50mg and 100mg tablets.

The usual prescribed dosage for Pletal is 100mg taken twice a day with a glass of water. It should be taken 30 minutes before or two hours after both breakfast and dinner or as your doctor has prescribed. Medication should be taken regularly and it is important to remember to take it the same time everyday. However, do not take two pills at a time to make up for a missed dosage. Skip the missed dose and continue to your next dosage. Improvement in walking may be felt as early as 2-4 weeks but may take as long as 3 months. If relief or improvement still cannot be felt after 12 weeks, consult your doctor.

Studies have shown an increase in risk of death for patients with congestive heart failure when taking to medication similar to Pletal, so it is best to inform you doctor if are affected with congestive heart failure or similar conditions. Do not take Pletal when you have conditions that make you prone to bleeding such as a bleeding stomach ulcer, a recent stroke or surgery or uncontrolled blood pressure. Other relevant conditions you should inform your doctor of include recent heart attacks, kidney and liver disease, and blood disorders such as low platelet count. If you are expecting surgery, inform your doctor if you are taking Pletal.

Also avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking Pletal, as substances found in grapefruit juice may increase concentration of cilostazol in the body.

Pletal may make you dizzy; be very careful when engaged in activities that requires you full attention and coordination.

If you are also taking blood pressure medicine, anti-inflammatory medication, platelet-aggregation inhibiting drugs such as clopidogrel or anticoagulants, consult your doctor first before taking Pletal as these drugs may result in very low blood pressure, fast heartbeat or increased risk for bleeding if taken in conjunction. Also take care when taking aspirin in conjunction with Pletal; it is advised to only take 80mg of aspirin a day if taken with Pletal.

As insufficient studies have been made on pregnant and lactating women, do not take Pletal if you are pregnant, are planning to get pregnant, or breast-feeding and infant. Always consult your doctor before taking any medication.

The most common side effects of Pletal use are headaches, diarrhea and abnormal stool; however they may also include dizziness, palpitations, nausea and sore throat. However, if one experiences bleeding or bruising, fainting, allergic reactions and swelling, fevers, change in blood pressure or difficulty breathing then seek immediate medical attention.