Heartburn Drugs May Interfere with Blood Thinner Plavix

Certain heartburn medications may interfere with the blood thinner Plavix, a popular drug taken to reduce risks of heart attack and stroke.

The Food & Drug Administration said that drugs like Prilosec and Nexium cut in half the blood-thinning effects of Plavix, which often can be prescribed together. Instead, the FDA suggests that patients who need to stop stomach pain take drugs from the H-2 blocker family. Johnson & Johnson’s Mylanta and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Zantac fall in this category.

Plavix’s labeling has been updated to say that these drugs should absolutely not be mixed. Consumer advocacy groups said that the warning is still not strong enough, and that the information should be placed in a “black box” label, the most serious available.

AUTHOR: Annette Hulbert