Efient (prasugrel) Tablets

Efient, which contains the active substance prasugrel, belongs to a group of medicines called anti-platelet agents. Platelets are very small cell particles that circulate in the blood. When a blood vessel is damaged, for example if it is cut, platelets clump together to help form a blood clot (thrombus). Therefore, platelets are essential to help stop bleeding. If clots form within a hardened blood vessel such as an artery they can be very dangerous as they can cut off the blood supply, causing a heart attack (myocardial infarction), stroke or death. Clots in arteries supplying blood to the heart may also reduce the blood supply, causing unstable angina (a severe chest pain). Efient inhibits the clumping of platelets and so reduces the chance of a blood clot forming.