Cilostazol

Pletal (pronunced PLAY-tal) is a drug treating symptoms of the medical condition intermittent claudication. It is manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceutical; the drug's generic name is cilostazol (sil-OS-tah-zol). more...

Although drugs similar to Pletal have increased the risk of death in patients with congestive heart failure, studies of significant size have not addressed people without the disease.

It is not clear how pletal works, but its main effects are dilation of the arteries supplying blood to the legs and decreasing platelet coagulation.

Dosage

Pletal is typically taken in 100mg doses twice a day.

Interactions and side effects

Drugs that interact with Pletal include "itracomazole", "erythromycin", "ketoconazole", "dilitiazem", and "omeprazole". Grapefruit juice interacts with the drug; other citrus juices do not.

Possible side effects of Pletal include headache, diarrhea, abnormal stools, increased heart rate, and palpitations.

Important Note

Cilostazol, clearly effective for a debilitating condition whose current treatment is often inadequate, is a member of a pharmacologic class that is dangerous to people with severe heart failure and unstudied in other people. Cilostazol has been studied in people without heart failure, without evidence of harm, but much more data would be needed to determine that there is no risk at all. Although cilostazol would not be approvable for a trivial condition the Cardio-Renal Advisory Committee and FDA concluded that fully informed patients and physicians should be able to choose to use it to treat intermittent claudication. Patient and physician labeling will describe the basis for concern and the incomplete information available.

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