Anticoagulants get prescribed for different reasons. If your doctor has put you on a blood thinner, you are most likely going to get one of the more popular ones in circulation today. When it comes to Eliquis vs. Xarelto, you should know the differences so you can make an informed decision.
Blood thinner medication prevents blood clots from forming. If you already have a blood clot, they can keep it from getting bigger while your doctor monitors you. Keep reading to find out more about these blood thinners and how they can work for you.
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Eliquis vs. Xarelto
These are two of the more commonly prescribed blood thinners on the market. When compared, they do the same things. They both thin the blood so that a clot will not form or get any larger.
These are both known as novel blood thinners, which means they are newer than some older ones. They are both approved by the Federal Drug Administration for prescribed usage. They both must get bought under their brand names because neither has a generic brand yet.
Both of these blood thinners have gotten approved to treat deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and reduce the risk of stroke for patients who have had knee or hip replacement. Xarelto can prevent venous thromboembolism, (VTE) and VTE-related death. Eliquis is not approved for VTE prevention but can treat it as a VTE medication.
Xarelto often gets prescribed at hospital discharge for patients with complications from mobility restriction. It gets combined with aspirin sometimes to reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues, such as heart attack and stroke. Eliquis does not get used in combination with aspirin.
In terms of effectiveness, these are similar. The difference is that some patients seem to experience more bleeding with Xarelto. Your doctor will look at your entire medical record to decide which one is best for you.
What About the Cost?
Some of this will depend on your insurance or whether you have any healthcare coverage. Both get covered by insurance.
If you are paying out of pocket, Eliquis can run you around $700 for a one-month supply. For the same amount, you will pay about $620 for Xarelto.
If you do not have insurance, it is worth noting that blood thinner medication is not cheap. The average person most likely cannot afford the cost without help. There are programs available to help with the expense, and your doctor can help you find one.
Some medications have voucher programs. You can get a card that will reduce the price for an entire year. These are tremendous savings, so ask your doctor if either of these medicines comes with a coupon or voucher.
Some people cannot make the trip to the local pharmacy to fill the prescriptions. With the help of online pharmacies, now you can buy Xarelto over the internet. If you have wondered where to buy Xarelto, this is a convenient way to get it.
Dosing and Side Effects
Xarelto only has to get taken once a day. Eliquis gets taken twice a day. That may not make a difference unless you are dealing with a patient who forgets to take medications. Blood thinners need to get taken every day because they work fast, they also leave your body the same way.
While neither of these requires frequent blood tests, you still need to get monitored. They can affect your kidney function, so if you already have any kidney issues, these can make those worse.
Bleeding is not as big of a risk as it used to be with blood-thinning medication. Both Xarelto and Eliquis can get reversed if that is needed. Still, bleeding is one of the side effects of any blood thinner.
Eliquis is known to have side effects of fatigue, shortness of breath, weakness, and nausea. With Xarelto, people experienced dizziness, fatigue, back pain, abdominal pain, depression, and insomnia.
All of these side effects are less than three percent. So it does not affect everyone the same way, and some people experience no side effects at all.
Drug Interactions and Warnings
Both Xarelto and Eliquis have interactions with other medications. Certain antidepressants, enzyme inhibitors, and enzyme inducers can have interactions.
When mixed with antidepressants or blood thinners, the risk of bleeding gets increased. If combined with strong enzyme inducers, those drugs force Xarelto or Eliquis to metabolize faster. That means you will not get enough blood thinner, so taking it will not help you as it needs to.
When taken with strong enzyme inhibitors, the levels of Xarelto or Eliquis would increase. That puts you at more risk for bleeding. That could get serious if you have a cut.
These medications come with a black box warning. That is required by the FDA when medicine can have serious safety risks. One of the things warned about is the sudden stopping of taking a blood thinner.
Of the risks mentioned above, one is that when the medicine gets stopped too soon, there could be a clot. That is one of the most dangerous things that can take place because it could lead to death. Never stop the medicine without consulting your doctor first.
Should You Take One?
If your doctor thinks you need a blood thinner medication, you should discuss the reasons. Talk over the side effects, any possibilities of stopping in the future, and how to be safe when doing it.
These medicines are safe if you need to take them. There is always a risk of bleeding, so you will need to follow your doctor’s orders on how and when to take them.
Now you have a full review of Eliquis vs. Xarelto. Follow us for more health and lifestyle tips!
