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Brilinta

Pronunciation: brih-LIN-tah
Generic name: ticagrelor
Drug class: Platelet aggregation inhibitors

Medically reviewed by Kaci Durbin, MD. Last updated on Dec 21, 2022.

What is Brilinta?

Brilinta prevents platelets in your blood from sticking together to form an unwanted blood clot that could block an artery.

Brilinta is used to lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, or death due to a blocked artery or a prior heart attack.

Brilinta is also used to lower your risk of blood clots if you have coronary artery disease (decreased blood flow to the heart) and have been treated with stents to open clogged arteries.

Brilinta is also used to lower your risk of a first heart attack or stroke if you have decreased blood flow to the heart.

Brilinta is also used to lower the risk of stroke and death in adults with a blockage or decreased blood flow in an artery that supplies blood to the brain.

This medicine is usually given together with low-dose aspirin. Carefully follow your doctor's dosing instructions. Using too much aspirin can make ticagrelor less effective.

Warnings

You should not use Brilinta if you have any active bleeding (including a bleeding stomach ulcer), or a history of bleeding in the brain. Do not use this medicine just before heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

You may need to stop using this medicine for a short time before having surgery or dental work, to prevent excessive bleeding. Do not stop taking Brilinta without first talking to your doctor, even if you have signs of bleeding. Stopping this medicine may increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Brilinta may cause you to bleed more easily, which can be severe or life-threatening. Avoid activities that may increase your risk of bleeding or injury.

Call your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if you have bleeding that will not stop. You may also have bleeding on the inside of your body, such as in your stomach or intestines. Call your doctor at once if you have black or bloody stools, red or pink urine, or if you cough up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds. These could be signs of internal bleeding.

Many drugs (including some over-the-counter medicines and herbal products) can cause serious medical problems if you take them with Brilinta. It is very important to tell your doctor about all medicines you have recently used.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Brilinta if you are allergic to ticagrelor, or if you have:

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

It is not known whether Brilinta passes into breastmilk. Talk to your doctor before using Brilinta if you are breastfeeding.

How should I take Brilinta?

Take Brilinta exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Brilinta is taken together with aspirin. Use these medicines exactly as directed.

Do not take more aspirin than your doctor has prescribed. Taking too much aspirin can make Brilinta less effective.

Take this medicine at the same time each day, with or without food.

If you cannot swallow a tablet whole, crush the pill and mix it with water. Stir and drink this mixture right away. Add more water to the glass, stir, and drink right away.

Brilinta keeps your blood from coagulating (clotting) and can make it easier for you to bleed, even from a minor injury. Contact your doctor or seek emergency medical attention if you have any bleeding that will not stop.

To prevent excessive bleeding, you may need to stop using Brilinta for a short time before a surgery, medical procedure, or dental work. Any healthcare provider who treats you should know that you are taking ticagrelor.

Do not stop taking Brilinta without first talking to your doctor, even if you have signs of bleeding. Stopping the medicine could increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Ticagrelor may affect medical testing for platelets in your blood and you may have false results. Tell the laboratory staff that you use Brilinta.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Dosing information

Usual Adult Dose for Acute Coronary Syndrome:

Following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event:

Loading dose: 180 mg orally once
Maintenance dose: 90 mg orally twice a day for 1 year
Maintenance dose after 1 year: 60 mg orally twice a day

Comments:
-This drug should be taken in conjunction with a daily maintenance dose of aspirin 75 to 100 mg orally once a day.
-For at least the first 12 months following ACS, this drug is superior to clopidogrel.

Uses:
-To reduce the rate of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or a history of myocardial infarction.
-To reduce the rate of stent thrombosis in patients who have been stented for treatment of ACS.

Usual Adult Dose for Prevention of Atherothrombotic Events:

Following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event:

Loading dose: 180 mg orally once
Maintenance dose: 90 mg orally twice a day for 1 year
Maintenance dose after 1 year: 60 mg orally twice a day

Comments:
-This drug should be taken in conjunction with a daily maintenance dose of aspirin 75 to 100 mg orally once a day.
-For at least the first 12 months following ACS, this drug is superior to clopidogrel.

Uses:
-To reduce the rate of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or a history of myocardial infarction.
-To reduce the rate of stent thrombosis in patients who have been stented for treatment of ACS.

Usual Adult Dose for Thromboembolic Stroke Prophylaxis:

60 mg orally twice a day

Use: To reduce the risk of a first myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) at high risk for such events; while use is not limited to this setting, efficacy of this drug was established in a population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Usual Adult Dose for Coronary Artery Disease:

60 mg orally twice a day

Use: To reduce the risk of a first myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) at high risk for such events; while use is not limited to this setting, efficacy of this drug was established in a population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Usual Adult Dose for Myocardial Infarction -- Prophylaxis:

60 mg orally twice a day

Use: To reduce the risk of a first myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) at high risk for such events; while use is not limited to this setting, efficacy of this drug was established in a population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

What happens if I miss a dose?

Skip the missed dose and use your next dose at the regular time. Do not use two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose can cause excessive bleeding.

What to avoid

Drinking alcohol while taking aspirin can increase your risk of stomach bleeding.

Avoid activities that may increase your risk of bleeding or injury. Use extra care to prevent bleeding while shaving or brushing your teeth.

While taking Brilinta with aspirin, avoid using medicines for pain, fever, swelling, or cold/flu symptoms. They may contain ingredients similar to aspirin (such as salicylates, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or naproxen). Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much aspirin which can increase your risk of bleeding.

Brilinta side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Brilinta: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

Common Brilinta side effects may include:

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Brilinta?

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can interact with Brilinta, especially:

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect Brilinta. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Popular FAQ

Brilinta is typically used for 6 to 12 months, or longer, after a stent or heart attack. Follow your doctor’s orders when taking Brilinta. It is given with low-dose aspirin to help prevent blood clots. If you stop taking Brilinta too soon, it can increase your risk of a heart attack, stroke or death. Continue reading

Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Brilinta (ticagrelor). Grapefruit juice can inhibit (block) one of the enzymes (3A4) needed to break down Brilinta for excretion from the body. Drinking grapefruit juice with Brilinta may increase the antiplatelet effect of your medicine and increase the risk for bleeding. Continue reading

There is no reported drug-drug interaction in the manufacturer's product label between alcohol (ethanol) and Brilinta. However, as a precaution, you should avoid consumption of alcohol while taking Brilinta and aspirin. Drinking alcohol while you are taking aspirin can increase the risk of stomach ulcers or bleeding. Continue reading

If you take Brilinta, do not take extra aspirin or NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen or celecoxib for pain relief unless directed by your doctor. This may increase your risk for serious bleeding. If you need a mild pain reliever, it is usually safe to take acetaminophen (Tylenol) with Brilinta. Check with your doctor first. Continue reading

Brilinta (ticagrelor) is an oral antiplatelet prescription tablet that is usually taken twice a day, in the morning and the evening. It is often prescribed together with aspirin for acute coronary syndrome (severe chest pain or a heart attack) or to help prevent a clot formation in a stent. Continue reading

If you are having surgery, your doctor may instruct you to stop taking Brilinta (ticagrelor) 5 days before your procedure. This will help to lower the chance of bleeding. Always follow your doctor’s directions about when to stop or start taking Brilinta again. Continue reading

The manufacturer of Brilinta, AstraZeneca, has shown that platelet inhibition occurs within 30 minutes of taking a loading dose (two 90 mg tablets). However, effects can be variable and further antiplatelet therapy may be needed in some patients based on therapeutic response. Continue reading

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Further information

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Brilinta only for the indication prescribed.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.