A past heart
attack increases
Your risk of another
heart attack or stroke
After a heart attack, your risk of having another cardiovascular event like heart attack or stroke is increased. This risk is further increased if you have additional conditions, like diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. That’s why it's important to talk to your doctor about lowering your chance of having another event.
Not an actual patient
Cause of heart attack
If you’ve had a heart attack, an artery was blocked, possibly by a buildup of a fatty substance called plaque. If plaque in the artery breaks away and causes a tear in the lining of the artery wall, platelets in your blood can stick together and cause blood clots to form. Blood clots restrict blood flow and can lead to heart attack, as well as stroke or death.
Heart attack risk factors
Risk factors for having a heart attack include:
- Age (over 45 for men and over 55 for women)
- Diabetes or insulin resistance
- Family history of early heart disease
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Overweight and obesity
- Unhealthy diet
- Lack of regular exercise
Multiple risk factors
The more risk factors you have, the higher your risk for having a heart attack and the greater your need for cardiovascular protection.
Treatment after a heart attack
Possible treatments following a heart attack involve lifestyle changes, medications, or medical procedures.
The main goal of treatment after heart attack is to prevent another heart attack from occurring.
Lifestyle Changes
- Quitting smoking
- Supervised exercise program
- Eating a heart-healthy diet
Medications
- Antiplatelet therapies like ZONTIVITY® (vorapaxar), aspirin, and clopidogrel (Plavix®) help prevent blood clots that can lead to events like heart attack and stroke
- Beta-blockers make the heart beat slower and with less force
- ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors ease the workload on the heart by opening up blood vessels and lowering blood pressure
- Statins are cholesterol-lowering medications that help reduce risk of heart attack and stroke
Medical Procedures
- Angioplasty is a procedure that uses a small, hollow tube (catheter) to place a small balloon in the affected artery. The balloon is inflated to widen the artery, move the blockage out of the way, and increase blood flow. A mesh framework, or stent, is also sometimes inserted to help keep the artery open
- CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) involves taking a blood vessel from another part of the body or using a synthetic vessel to allow the blood to flow around the blockage and into the heart
Indication
ZONTIVITY is a prescription medicine used to treat people who have
- had a heart attack or
- reduced blood flow in their legs (peripheral arterial disease).
ZONTIVITY is used with aspirin and/or clopidogrel to lower your chance of having another serious problem with your heart or blood vessels, such as heart attack, stroke, or death
Important Safety Information
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ZONTIVITY?
ZONTIVITY is used to lower your chance of having another serious problem with your heart or blood vessels, but ZONTIVITY (and similar drugs) can cause bleeding that can be serious and lead to death.
Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of bleeding while taking ZONTIVITY:
- bleeding that is severe or that you cannot control
- pink, red, or brown urine
- vomiting blood or your vomit looks like "coffee grounds"
- red or black stools (looks like tar)
- coughing up blood or blood clots.
While you take ZONTIVITY and for about 4 weeks after your treatment with ZONTIVITY is stopped:
- you may bruise and bleed more easily (nose bleeds may be common)
- it will take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop.
Do not take ZONTIVITY if you:
- have had a stroke or "mini stroke" (also known as transient ischemic attack or TIA)
- have had bleeding in your brain
- currently have unusual bleeding, such as bleeding in your head, stomach or intestines (an ulcer).
If you have a stroke, TIA, or bleeding in your brain while taking ZONTIVITY your doctor should stop your treatment with ZONTIVITY. Follow your doctor's instructions about stopping ZONTIVITY.
Take ZONTIVITY exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking ZONTIVITY without first talking to the doctor who prescribed it for you.
Before you take ZONTIVITY, tell your doctor if you:
- have had bleeding problems or history of stomach ulcers
- have had a stroke or "mini-stroke" (also known as transient ischemic attack or TIA)
- have had bleeding (hemorrhage) in your brain
- have had any recent serious injury or surgery
- plan to have surgery or a dental procedure
- have kidney problems or severe liver problems
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ZONTIVITY will harm your unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if ZONTIVITY passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take ZONTIVITY or breastfeed. You should not do both.
Tell all of your doctors and dentists that you are taking ZONTIVITY with aspirin, with clopidogrel (Plavix®), or with aspirin and clopidogrel. They should talk to the doctor who prescribed ZONTIVITY for you before you have any surgery or dental procedure.
The possible side effects of ZONTIVITY include:
- Bleeding that can be serious and lead to death (see above)
- Anemia (low level of red blood cells)
- Depression
- Rash
These are not all the possible side effects of ZONTIVITY.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, dietary or herbal supplements. Taking ZONTIVITY with certain other medicines may increase your risk of bleeding and may affect how ZONTIVITY works.
The risk information provided here is not comprehensive. To learn more, talk about ZONTIVITY with your pharmacist or other health care providers. The product information can be found at www.zontivity.com or call at 1-800-988-6115.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please click here for Medication Guide, including Important Warning about bleeding risk.
Indication
ZONTIVITY is a prescription medicine used to treat people who have
- had a heart attack or
- reduced blood flow in their legs (peripheral arterial disease).
ZONTIVITY is used with aspirin and/or clopidogrel to lower your chance of having another serious problem with your heart or blood vessels, such as heart attack, stroke, or death
Important Safety Information
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ZONTIVITY?
ZONTIVITY is used to lower your chance of having another serious problem with your heart or blood vessels, but ZONTIVITY (and similar drugs) can cause bleeding that can be serious and lead to death.
Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of bleeding while taking ZONTIVITY:
- bleeding that is severe or that you cannot control
- pink, red, or brown urine
- vomiting blood or your vomit looks like "coffee grounds"
- red or black stools (looks like tar)
- coughing up blood or blood clots.
While you take ZONTIVITY and for about 4 weeks after your treatment with ZONTIVITY is stopped:
- you may bruise and bleed more easily (nose bleeds may be common)
- it will take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop.
Do not take ZONTIVITY if you:
- have had a stroke or "mini stroke" (also known as transient ischemic attack or TIA)
- have had bleeding in your brain
- currently have unusual bleeding, such as bleeding in your head, stomach or intestines (an ulcer).
If you have a stroke, TIA, or bleeding in your brain while taking ZONTIVITY your doctor should stop your treatment with ZONTIVITY. Follow your doctor's instructions about stopping ZONTIVITY.
Take ZONTIVITY exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking ZONTIVITY without first talking to the doctor who prescribed it for you.
Before you take ZONTIVITY, tell your doctor if you:
- have had bleeding problems or history of stomach ulcers
- have had a stroke or "mini-stroke" (also known as transient ischemic attack or TIA)
- have had bleeding (hemorrhage) in your brain
- have had any recent serious injury or surgery
- plan to have surgery or a dental procedure
- have kidney problems or severe liver problems
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ZONTIVITY will harm your unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if ZONTIVITY passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take ZONTIVITY or breastfeed. You should not do both.
Tell all of your doctors and dentists that you are taking ZONTIVITY with aspirin, with clopidogrel (Plavix®), or with aspirin and clopidogrel. They should talk to the doctor who prescribed ZONTIVITY for you before you have any surgery or dental procedure.
The possible side effects of ZONTIVITY include:
- Bleeding that can be serious and lead to death (see above)
- Anemia (low level of red blood cells)
- Depression
- Rash
These are not all the possible side effects of ZONTIVITY.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, dietary or herbal supplements. Taking ZONTIVITY with certain other medicines may increase your risk of bleeding and may affect how ZONTIVITY works.
The risk information provided here is not comprehensive. To learn more, talk about ZONTIVITY with your pharmacist or other health care providers. The product information can be found at www.zontivity.com or call at 1-800-988-6115.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please click here for Medication Guide, including Important Warning about bleeding risk.