Data, obtained in clinical trials
The safety of clopidogrel was studied in more than 44,000 patients, including more than 12,000 patients who received treatment for a year or more. In general, the tolerability of clopidogrel at a dose of 75 mg / day in the study CAPRIE corresponded to the tolerability of ASA at a dose of 325 mg / day, irrespective of age, gender and race of patients. The following are clinically significant adverse effects observed in five large clinical trials: CAPRIE, CURE, CLARITY, COMMIT and ACTIVE A.
Bleeding and hemorrhage
Comparison of monotherapy with clopidogrel and ASA
In a clinical study CAPRIE the total frequency of all bleeding in patients taking clopidogrel, and patients taking ASA, was 9.3%. The incidence of severe bleeding with clopidogrel and ASA was comparable: 1.4% and 1.6%, respectively.
In general, the incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients taking clopidogrel, and in patients taking ASA, was (2% and 2.7%, respectively), including the incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding, requiring hospitalization, was (0.7% and 1.1% respectively).The overall frequency of bleeding from another site with clopidogrel in comparison with ASA was higher (7.3% vs. 6.5%, respectively). However, the incidence of severe bleeding with clopidogrel and ASA was comparable (0.6% and 0.4%, respectively). The most frequently reported development of the following bleeding: purpura / bruising, epistaxis. Less commonly reported on the development of hematomas, hematuria and ocular hemorrhage (mainly conjunctival).
The incidence of intracranial hemorrhages with clopidogrel and ASA was comparable (0.4% and 0.5%, respectively).
Comparison of combination therapy with clopidogrel + ASA and placebo + ASA
In a clinical study CURE in patients taking clopidogrel + ASA, compared with patients taking placebo + ASA, there was an increase in the incidence of major bleeding (3.7% vs. 2.7%) and small bleeding (5.1% vs. 2.4%). Basically, the sources of large bleeding were the gastrointestinal tract and the puncture site of the arteries.
The frequency of life-threatening bleeding in patients who took clopidogrel + ASA, in comparison with patients,(2.2% and 1.8%, respectively), the incidence of fatal bleeding was similar (0.2% for both therapies).
The incidence of non-life-threatening large bleeding was significantly higher in patients taking clopidogrel + ASA, compared with patients taking placebo + ASA (1.6% and 1%, respectively), but the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage was similar (0.1% for both therapies). The frequency of major bleeding in the group clopidogrel + ASA depended on the dose of ASA (<100 mg: 2.6%, 100-200 mg: 3.5%,> 200 mg: 4.9%), as well as the incidence of major bleeding in the placebo + ASA group (<100 mg: 2%, 100-200 mg: 2.3%,> 200 mg: 4%).
Patients who stopped antiplatelet therapy more than 5 days before coronary artery bypass grafting did not experience a higher incidence of major bleeding within 7 days after the intervention (4.4% in the group clopidogrel + ASA and 5.3% in the placebo + ASA group). Patients who continued antiplatelet therapy for the last five days before aortocoronary bypass surgery, the incidence of these events after intervention was 9.6% (in the group clopidogrel + ASA) and 6.3% (in the placebo + ASA group).
In a clinical study CLARITY frequency of major bleeding (defined as intracranial hemorrhage or hemorrhage with a decrease in hemoglobin> 5 g / dL) in both groups (clopidogrel + ASA and placebo + ASA) was comparable in both treatment groups (1.3% vs. 1.1% in the group clopidogrel + ASA and placebo + ASA group, respectively). It was the same in subgroups of patients divided by baseline characteristics and by types of fibrinolytic therapy or heparin therapy.
The incidence of fatal bleeding (0.8% vs. 0.6%) and intracranial hemorrhage (0.5% vs 0.7%) with clopidogrel + ASA and placebo + ASA, respectively, was low and comparable in both treatment groups.
In a clinical study COMMIT the overall incidence of non-cerebral large bleeding or cerebral bleeding was low and the same (0.6% in the group clopidogrel + ASA and 0.5% in the placebo + ASA group).
In a clinical study ACTIVE-A frequency of major bleeding in the group clopidogrel + ASA was higher than in the placebo + ASA group (6.7% vs. 4.3%, respectively). The large bleeding was mainly extracranial in both groups (5.3% vs. 3.5%), mainly from the gastrointestinal tract (3.5% vs. 1.8%).
In a group clopidogrel + ASA of intracranial hemorrhages was greater in comparison with the placebo + ASK group (1.4% vs. 0.8%, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between these treatment groups in the frequency of fatal bleeding (1.1% vs. 0.7%) and hemorrhagic stroke (0.8 vs. 0.6%).
Blood disorders
In the study CAPRIE severe neutropenia (<0.45 x 109/ l) was observed in 4 patients (0.04%) who received clopidogrel, and in 2 patients (0.02%) who received ASA.
In two of the 9599 patients who took clopidogrel, there was a complete absence of neutrophils in the peripheral blood, which was not observed in any of the 9586 patients taking ASA. Despite the fact that the risk of developing myelotoxic action when taking clopidogrel is low enough, in case the patient taking clopidogrel, there is a fever or other signs of infection, the patient should be examined for possible neutropenia.
In the treatment of clopidogrel in one case, development of aplastic anemia was observed. The incidence of severe thrombocytopenia (<80 x 109/ l) was 0.2% in patients taking clopidogrel, and 0.1% of patients taking ASA reported very rare cases of a decrease in the number of platelets ≤ 30 x 109/ l.
In studies CURE and CLARITY A comparable number of patients with thrombocytopenia or neutropenia in both treatment groups were observed.
Other clinically significant adverse reactions observed in clinical trials CAPRIE, CURE, CLARITY COMMIT, ACTIVE-A
The incidence of adverse reactions that were observed during the above clinical trials is presented in accordance with the WHO classification: very often ≥10%; often ≥1% and <10%; infrequently ≥0.1% and <1%; rarely ≥ 0.01% and <0.1%; very rarely <0.01%; the frequency is unknown - it is not possible to determine the frequency of occurrence of an undesired reaction from the available data.
Disturbances from the nervous system: infrequently - headache, dizziness, paresthesia; rarely - vertigo.
Disorders from the gastrointestinal tract: often - dyspepsia, abdominal pain, diarrhea; infrequently - nausea, gastritis, bloating, constipation, vomiting, stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer.
Disturbances from the skin and subcutaneous tissue: infrequently - skin rash, itching.
Violations from the blood and lymphatic system: infrequently - an increase in bleeding time, a decrease in the number of platelets in the peripheral blood, leukopenia, a decrease in the number of neutrophils in the peripheral blood, eosinophilia.
Post-registration experience of drug use
Violations from the blood and lymphatic system: frequency is unknown - cases of severe bleeding, predominantly subcutaneous, skeletal muscle, eye hemorrhage (conjunctival, in the tissue and the retina), bleeding from the airways (hemoptysis, pulmonary hemorrhage), epistaxis, hematuria, and bleeding from postoperative wounds and cases of bleeding with fatal (particularly intracranial hemorrhage, gastrointestinal bleeding and retroperitoneal haemorrhage), agranulocytosis, granulocytopenia, aplastic anemia / pancytopenia, trombot thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), acquired hemophilia A.
Immune system disorders: frequency unknown - anaphylactic reactions, serum sickness, cross allergic and hematologic reactions with other thienopyridines (such as ticlopidine, prasugrel) (see section "Special instructions").
Mental disorders: frequency is unknown - confusion, hallucinations.
Impaired nervous system: the frequency is unknown - the violation of taste perception.
Vascular disorders: the frequency is unknown - vasculitis, lowering blood pressure.
Heart Disease: frequency is unknown - dyspnea.
Disturbances from the respiratory system, chest and mediastinal organs: frequency unknown - bronchospasm, interstitial pneumonia, eosinophilic pneumonia.
Disorders from the gastrointestinal tract: frequency unknown - colitis (including ulcerative colitis or lymphocytic colitis), pancreatitis, stomatitis.
Disorders from the liver and bile ducts: frequency unknown - hepatitis (non-infectious), acute liver failure.
Disturbances from the skin and subcutaneous tissue: frequency unknown - maculopapular erythematous or exfoliative rash, hives, itching, angioedema, bullous dermatitis (erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis),acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, drug hypersensitivity syndrome, drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic manifestations (DRESS-syndrome), eczema, flat lichen.
Disturbances from the musculoskeletal and connective tissue: frequency unknown - arthralgia (joint pain), arthritis, myalgia.
Disorders from the kidneys and urinary tract: frequency unknown - glomerulonephritis.
Violations of the genitals and breast: frequency unknown - gynecomastia.
Common disorders and reactions at the site of administration: frequency is unknown - fever.
Laboratory and instrumental data: the frequency is unknown - the deviation from the norm of laboratory indicators of the functional state of the liver, increasing the concentration of creatinine in the blood.