Indications
-
ELIQUIS (apixaban) is a prescription
medicine used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people who have atrial fibrillation (AFib), a type of irregular heartbeat, not caused by a heart valve problem.
-
ELIQUIS (apixaban) is a prescription
medicine used to treat blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism), and reduce the risk of them occurring again. -
ELIQUIS (apixaban) is a prescription
medicine used to reduce the risk of forming a blood clot in the legs and lungs of people who have just had hip or knee replacement surgery.
Indications
-
ELIQUIS (apixaban) is a
prescription medicine used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people who have atrial fibrillation (AFib), a type of irregular heartbeat, not caused by a heart valve problem. -
ELIQUIS (apixaban) is a
prescription medicine used to treat blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism), and reduce the risk of them occurring again. -
ELIQUIS (apixaban) is a
prescription medicine used to reduce the risk of forming a blood clot in the legs and lungs of people who have just had hip or knee replacement surgery.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that occurs most commonly in the leg, thigh, or pelvis, but may also occur in the arm. If a DVT blood clot breaks free, it can travel to the lungs, which is known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). A PE can limit the flow of blood in the lungs and can even cause death. Patients who have had a DVT or PE are at risk for them happening again.
To learn more, watch the video below.
Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.
Both DVT and PE are fairly common. In 2010, it was estimated that each year there are as many as 900,000 adults in the U.S. with DVT/PE. About one third of DVT/PE events are PE.
DVT and PE are a public health concern:
- PE can cause sudden death in about 25% of cases
- Up to 100,000 patients in the U.S. are estimated to die due to DVT/PE each year
Pulmonary embolism (PE): The most serious risk from DVT is PE. A PE clot can limit the flow of blood in the lungs and can even cause sudden death.
DVT and/or PE can happen more than once. About 33% of patients with DVT or PE have another case, or recurrence, within 10 years of their first DVT or PE.
To learn more, watch the video below.
Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.
Doctors may use multiple tests to find out if you have DVT or PE.
Usually, a diagnosis of DVT and/or PE is based upon:
Medical history: Includes questions about your overall health and any prescription medicines you’re taking.
Physical exam: A doctor will examine your legs for signs of DVT and evaluate your blood pressure, your heart, and your lungs.
Test results: Certain tests can help diagnose DVT and PE. Some of the common ones include:
- Ultrasound: Doctors can use ultrasound to look for blood clots in your legs and pelvis. Ultrasound uses sound waves to check blood flow in your veins
- CT scans: The test uses X-rays and allows doctors to detect most cases of PE
- D-dimer test: A blood test that measures a substance in the blood that’s released when a blood clot dissolves
The most common DVT treatments and PE treatments are anticoagulants, otherwise known as blood thinners. Blood thinners treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) by reducing the ability of the blood to clot and reducing the risk of further clots developing.
Here are some commonly prescribed blood thinners for DVT/PE and some of the differences between them. You can also learn about the clinical studies that compared ELIQUIS with LOVENOX® (enoxaparin) followed by warfarin.
LOVENOX® (enoxaparin) is a blood thinner that is only available in injectable form.
Warfarin is a pill that’s taken orally. Patients taking warfarin have to follow certain dietary restrictions. Warfarin also requires patients to go for routine INR blood testing to check if their levels are within the target range and to adjust their warfarin dose if they’re not.
DOACs (direct-acting oral anticoagulants), including ELIQUIS, are blood thinners that can help treat DVT and PE clots and reduce the risk of them happening again. ELIQUIS can be taken with or without food, meaning taking it does not need to be timed to a meal. Unlike LOVENOX®, which is injected, ELIQUIS is taken by mouth twice daily. And unlike warfarin, ELIQUIS has no dietary restrictions and does not require routine INR blood testing. Find out how ELIQUIS may help.
LOVENOX® is a registered trademark of sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC.
Other things that may help:
Keep moving—If you’ve been on bed rest because of surgery or other factors, start moving as soon as your doctor says you’re ready, to help reduce the risk of getting another clot
Stay active on long trips—Long plane or car trips are known to increase the risk of DVT or PE. Move your legs frequently by walking or stretching your legs while sitting
Wear compression stockings—If your doctor recommends, to help reduce the risk of blood clots in the legs
Follow your doctor's recommendations—Talk to your doctor about certain lifestyle changes to help reduce the risk of DVT and PE, such as maintaining a healthy weight or staying active
*Adapted from: Mayo Clinic. Deep Vein Thrombosis.
Many different factors can raise the risk of developing DVT/PE, including but not limited to:
- History of a previous DVT or PE event
- Surgery
- Broken hip or leg bone, or other trauma
- Cancer or some cancer treatments
- Pregnancy
- Paralysis or long periods of immobilization
- Family history and some genetic conditions
- Heart disease, such as heart attack or congestive heart failure
- Lung disease
- Obesity
- Taking hormone-based medicines or therapies
Some important safety information to know about ELIQUIS is: (1) Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed it for you. For patients taking ELIQUIS for atrial fibrillation: stopping ELIQUIS increases your risk of having a stroke. Talk to your healthcare team before any surgery, medical, or dental procedures. (2) ELIQUIS can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. This is because ELIQUIS is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting. While taking ELIQUIS, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop. (3) People who take ELIQUIS, and have medicine injected into their spinal or epidural area, or have a spinal puncture, have a risk of forming a blood clot that can cause long-term or permanent loss of the ability to move (paralysis). (4) A reaction to ELIQUIS can cause hives, rash, itching, and possibly trouble breathing. If you get this reaction, it will usually happen soon after you take a dose of ELIQUIS. Get medical help right away if you have sudden chest pain or chest tightness, have sudden swelling of your face or tongue, have trouble breathing, wheezing, or feeling dizzy or faint. This is not a complete list of all important safety information. Please see full Important Safety Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, for ELIQUIS (apixaban). Please see the U.S. Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, and the Medication Guide for ELIQUIS (apixaban).
ELIQUIS is a type of blood thinner medicine known as an anticoagulant. Learn more about anticoagulants here.
Your doctor will decide the duration of your treatment. After at least 6 months of treatment for DVT/PE, your doctor may ask you to continue on a lower dose of ELIQUIS to help reduce the risk of them happening again. How long one takes ELIQUIS generally varies from patient to patient. Your doctor will decide the appropriate length of treatment for you.
Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed it to you. Stopping ELIQUIS increases the risk of blood clots, including stroke and DVT/PE.
Talk to your healthcare team before any medical procedures. ELIQUIS may need to be stopped before surgery, or a medical or dental procedure. Your doctor will tell you when you should stop taking ELIQUIS and when you may start taking it again. If you have to stop taking ELIQUIS your doctor may prescribe another medicine to help prevent a blood clot from forming.
See Important Safety Information below.
In patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), ELIQUIS helps prevent blood clots from getting larger as the body naturally reabsorbs them, and helps reduce the risk of them happening again. ELIQUIS selectively blocks one clotting factor, Factor Xa, and this makes it less likely that blood clots will form.
View a video to learn more about how ELIQUIS works.
Patients taking ELIQUIS do not need to have routine INR (International Normalized Ratio) blood testing.
Patients taking ELIQUIS do not have any known dietary restrictions, such as leafy greens.
ELIQUIS may need to be stopped before surgery, or a medical or dental procedure. Your doctor will tell you when you should stop taking ELIQUIS and when you may start taking it again. If you have to stop taking ELIQUIS your doctor may prescribe another medicine to help prevent a blood clot from forming. Be sure to talk to your doctor before any surgeries or procedures, and if you have questions about stopping ELIQUIS before surgery.
Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed it to you. Stopping ELIQUIS increases the risk of blood clots, including stroke and DVT/PE.
See Important Safety Information below.
Determining the price you may pay for a medicine can be complicated and depends on many different factors, such as insurance coverage. For more information, view Pricing Information for ELIQUIS.
ELIQUIS can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. This is because ELIQUIS is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting. While taking ELIQUIS, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop.
You may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take ELIQUIS with other medicines that increase your risk of bleeding, such as:
- Aspirin
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (called NSAIDs)
- Warfarin
- Heparin
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
- Other medicines to help prevent or treat blood clots
Tell your doctor if you take any of these medicines.
Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of bleeding when taking ELIQUIS:
- Unexpected bleeding or bleeding that lasts a long time, such as:
- Unusual bleeding from the gums
- Nosebleeds that happen often
- Menstrual or vaginal bleeding that is heavier than normal
- Bleeding that is severe or you cannot control
- Red, pink, or brown urine
- Red or black stools (looks like tar)
- Coughing up or vomiting blood
- Vomit that looks like coffee grounds
- Unexpected pain, swelling, or joint pain
- Headaches
- Feeling dizzy or weak
See Important Safety Information below.
Talking With Your Doctor
Get tips from a nurse for talking with a doctor and download a discussion guide to help you make the most of your time with your healthcare professional.
About ELIQUIS
Find out more about ELIQUIS, including clinical study results, possible side effects, and additional factors for you and your healthcare professional to consider.
Savings Resources
Learn about the Free Trial Offer and how eligible patients can potentially save on out-of-pocket costs with the ELIQUIS Co-pay Card.
