Eliquis which is also known as apixaban pills should not be taken if your recent surgery has any bleeding, if your heart has an artificial valve or there is any other reason. For instance is you have a genetic defect in your spinal cord, taking Eliquis may lead to the clotting of blood around your spinal cord. Also you have undergone an epidural spinal anesthesia, if a spinal catheter is attached to you, if you have undergone a spinal tap or any previous spinal surgeries, blood clotting may occur due to Eliquis. Even when you are under any other medicine that can affect the clotting of blood, Eliquis may put you into a stage of permanent paralysis.
If you notice any eliquis or apixaban symptoms such as blood clotting in the spinal cord , weakness in muscles, feeling numb, back pain, losing bowel control and bladder loss then get medical help immediately. Unless it is suggested by the doctor, you must not stop the course of eliquis or apixaban since it may give rise to the risk of blood clot and stroke.
How Does Eliquis Work?
One of the enzymes that play a key role in the substances causing the clotting of blood is Xa (FXa). The selective inhibitor of Xa is Apixaban, its trade name being eliquis. Within the class of drugs that work as Xa inhibitor, eliquis or apixaban one of the most effective medicine. Eliquis or apixaban prevents or reduces the likeliness of the clotting of blood by acting of the FXa.
Effectiveness of Eliquis
The medicine that is used to block substances from forming clots in blood is eliquis or apixaban. Eliquis or apixaban is mainly used to effectively prevent blood clots in the heart. Such clots when prevented reduce the risk of stroke caused due to atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder.
Eliquis or apixaban also prevents deep vein thrombosis, a type of clotting of blood. This kind of clotting occurs after a surgery like hip or knee replacement and the clots are formed by DVT can lead up to lungs causing pulmonary embolism. Not only does eliquis or apixaban treat deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism but it also prevents repeat attacks of DVT and PE.
- Eliquis or apixaban is effectively used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clot formation in people with nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation (AF).
- The people who have non-valvular Atrial Fibrillation could avoid clotting of blood and reduce the risk of stroke.
- After the hip or knee replacement, the possibility of the development of DVT and PE can be reduced. Not only can the possibilities of the blood clotting due to DVT and PE cane reduced but also eliquis or apixaban can be used to treat DVT and PE and prevent these diseases from recurring.
- Regular blood tests are not required while you are taking eliquis or apixaban.
- Rather than reacting with foods and other drugs like warfarin, but it does react with some medicines.
You can take eliquis or apixaban with full or empty stomach. The tablet can be crushed and made into powder then mixed with apple juice or water to take it. The mixture should be left for later use but should be swallowed immediately.
- The usual dosage is to take it 2 times but always follow the doctor’s dosage.
- Whenever you are going for a surgery, inform your health care provider that you are under the medication. If eliquis or apixaban is stopped 48 hours before the surgery, there can be a moderate to high chance of excessive bleeding to occur during surgery. If eliquis or apixaban is topped before 24 hours, then the risk level goes down. The medicine should be started again by the patient as soon as he or she returns to normal after the surgery,
- If you have an injury to which the bleeding will not stop, you must contact your doctor immediately since Eliquis may cause bleeding from even a small bump formed after tripping.
- One should not stop take it suddenly. Only after your doctor advices slowly discontinue the dosage.
The response and effectiveness of eliquis or apixaban is good. Eliquis starts kicking off after 3 to 4 hours of taking it, if the dosage is high or it is taken as a mixture, it might take a little longer to kick on. The factor which prevents clotting of blood starts working with a single dosage of eliquis or apixaban. Its effectiveness however wearies off after 24 hours of taking it.
Recommended Dosage of Eliquis
General Adult Dose of Eliquis or Apixaban for Deep Vein Thrombosis – Prophylaxis:
Eliquis or apixaban should be taken twice a day, take in 2.5 mg orally
For hip replacement, use it for 35 days
For knee replacement, use it for 12 days.
General Adult Dose of Eliquis or Apixaban for Deep Vein Thrombosis Prophylaxis immediately after the Hip Replacement Surgery:
Eliquis or apixaban should be taken twice a day, take in 2.5 milligrams orally
For hip replacement, use it for 35 days
For knee replacement, use it for 12 days.
General Adult Dose of Eliquis or Apixaban for Deep Vein Thrombosis Prophylaxis immediately after the Knee Replacement Surgery:
Eliquis or apixaban should be taken twice a day, take in 2.5 milligrams orally
For hip replacement, use it for 35 days
For knee replacement, use it for 12 days.
General Adult Dose of Eliquis or Apixaban for Prevent Thromboembolism in the Atrial Fibrillation:
Eliquis or apixaban should be taken twice a day, take in 5 milligrams orally.
General Adult Dose of Eliquis or Apixaban for Thromboembolic Stroke Prophylaxis:
Eliquis or apixaban should be taken two times a day, take in 5 milligrams orally.
General Adult Dose of Eliquis or Apixaban for Deep Vein Thrombosis:
Initially take in 10 milligrams orally for 7 days, twice a day.
For maintaining, take in 5 milligrams orally twice a day.
General Adult Dose of Eliquis or Apixaban for Pulmonary Embolism:
Initially eliquis or apixaban should be taken in 10 milligrams orally for 7 days, twice a day.
For maintaining, take in 5 milligrams twice a day.
What are the Side Effects of Eliquis?
Between the age 18 and 60, take eliquis or apixaban only when you are not under any other medication or going through any other medical condition. The common symptoms that can occur while using eliquis or apixaban are:
- The most common blood related side effects are anemia, hemorrhage and nausea. The common gastrointestinal problems that might rise are vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
- If you notice symptoms like blue or pink urine, bleeding that cannot be stopped. Black tar like stool, vomiting blood and blood clots that look like coffee grounds, call for emergency help. Other side effects of eliquis or apixaban that might need emergency attention are developing signs of the stroke like facial muscles drooping to one side, losing clarity of vision, slurry speech, difficulty in talking, sudden dizziness and headache and signs of blood clotting like breathing problems, enormous pain, heating up and swelling up of body parts like a limb.
- Any other drug that works as anticoagulant must be given to the patient if eliquis or apixaban is causing painful; symptoms. But if the symptoms are clotting of blood, bleeding profusely then any Eliquis must be stopped immediately. If it is discontinued without the consultation of the doctor, then thrombotic events like clotting of blood in the blood vessels may occur.
- If any person has undergone a spinal puncture or an epidural (or spinal) anesthesia, thentakingeliquis or apixaban may lead to spinal or epidural hematomas which may cause paralysis in the patient for a long term or permanently. If the patient has also been taking other medications alongwitheliquis or apixaban like NSAIDs and aspirin which effects in bloodclotting, or has a history of spinal trauma or spinal deformity and surgery then the risk of paralysis increases.
- If a person has artificial heart valves or some active bleeding part then eliquis or apixaban should be avoided.
- There is no particular dosage fixed for everybody. Only after the blood tests are done the dosage can be prescribed by the doctors.
- There is no antidote made for eliquis or apixaban. The drug close to Eliquis is Andexanet Alfa but it is not yet approved by the FDA. Though there is rarely chance of excessive bleeding, the lack of antidote may risk the life of the patient and he or she may need immediate surgery or volume replacement with fresh frozen plasma.
Conclusion
As eliquis or apixaban holds the capacity to effectively prevent blood to clot, it is used to treat several medical conditions related to blood clots. Even though it is prescribed by your physician, constant monitoring of the effects of eliquis or apixaban has to be noticed and to save the patient from severe symptoms FFP (fresh frozen plasma) is used to restore the original blood volume in the patient.