Pletal is the brand name for cilostazol. It’s a prescription medication used to treat symptoms of intermittent claudication in peripheral artery disease by helping dilate blood vessels and reduce platelet clumping (antiplatelet effect). It’s a phosphodiesterase-3 (PDE-3) inhibitor.
Key points:
- Indication: Improve walking distance and symptoms in intermittent claudication due to PAD.
- Typical dosing: Usually 100 mg taken twice daily (about 30 minutes before or 2 hours after meals). If not tolerated, your doctor may reduce it to 50 mg twice daily. Maximum about 200 mg per day.
- How to take: Take consistently with respect to meals as directed by your provider.
- Common side effects: Headache, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, palpitations, edema, and flushing.
- Serious (seek care): Signs of bleeding (unusual bruising, prolonged bleeding), chest pain or severe shortness of breath, severe headache with neurological symptoms, fainting, or swelling of legs/feet.
- Contraindications: Do not use if you have active bleeding or congestive heart failure; allergy to cilostazol or its components.
- Interactions and precautions:
- Strong CYP3A4 or CYP2C19 inhibitors/inducers can raise or lower cilostazol levels (e.g., certain antibiotics, antifungals, some HIV meds, ritonavir, macrolides, azoles; rifampin). Grapefruit juice can also affect levels.
- Increased bleeding risk with other antiplatelet drugs (aspirin, clopidogrel) or NSAIDs.
- Tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, or a history of heart rhythm problems.
- Not recommended in significant hepatic impairment; use with caution and under supervision if liver disease is present.
- Pregnancy/lactation: discuss with your clinician; typically not first-line in pregnancy unless clearly needed.
If you’d like, tell me what you’re looking for (e.g., how it works, dosing for a specific condition, potential interactions with a medication you’re taking, or safety tips), and I can tailor the info. If you have a prescription, follow your doctor’s instructions and contact them with any concerns or if you notice concerning side effects.