NCLEX Uworld Practice Test

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet medication. It works by irreversibly blocking the P2Y12 ADP receptor on platelets, which prevents platelets from sticking together and forming a clot. This makes it effective for preventing arterial thrombosis in conditions like coronary artery disease, after stent placement, or following a heart attack. It’s not an anticoagulant, which target the coagulation cascade factors to stop clot formation (as warfarin or heparin do). It’s not a thrombolytic, which would dissolve an already formed clot (like tPA). It isn’t a beta-blocker, which affect heart rate and blood pressure through adrenergic receptors.