Eliquis vs. Coumadin (Blood Thinners)

• Are Coumadin and Eliquis the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Eliquis?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Coumadin?
• What is Eliquis?
• What is Coumadin?
• What Drugs Interact with Eliquis?
• What Drugs Interact with Coumadin?
• How Should Eliquis Be Taken?
• How Should Coumadin Be Taken?

Eliquis (apixaban) and Coumadin (warfarin) are anticoagulants (blood thinners) used to reduce blood clotting and reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Coumadin is also used to treat these conditions if they develop and is used in cases where heart valve abnormalities are the cause of atrial fibrillation.

Common side effects of Eliquis include:

• skin rash,
• allergic reactions,
• fainting, nausea, and
• anemia.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Eliquis including easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), bleeding from wounds or needle injections, any bleeding that will not stop; heavy menstrual periods; headache, dizziness, weakness, feeling like you might pass out; red, pink, or brown urine; black or bloody stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds; numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness (especially in your legs and feet); or loss of movement in any part of your body.

Common side effects of Coumadin include:

• easy bruising and bleeding,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• bloating,
• gas, or
• altered sense of taste.

Eliquis (apixaban) is an anticoagulant (blood thinner) that reduces blood clotting and reduces the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Coumadin (warfarin) is a blood anticoagulant that inhibits the function of Vitamin K dependent coagulation used to inhibit the coagulation of blood to reduce or prevent the chance of developing heart attacks (myocardial infarctions), strokes, and venous and other blood clots (deep venous thromboses, pulmonary emboli and thrombi produced with atrial fibrillation). Coumadin is also used to treat these conditions if they develop. Coumadin is available as a generic.

Eliquis may interact with blood thinners and heparin, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, antithrombotics, bone marrow stimulants, bosentan, conivaptan, cyclosporine, dextran, heart or blood pressure medications, hepatitis C medications, HIV/AIDS medications, imatinib, isoniazid, nefazodone, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), rifabutin, rifampin, rifapentine, salicylates (such as aspirin, Pepto-Bismol, and others), seizure medications, St. John's wort, thrombopoietic growth factors, or vasodilators.

Coumadin may interact with blood thinners and heparin, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, antithrombotics, bone marrow stimulants, bosentan, conivaptan, cyclosporine, dextran, heart or blood pressure medications, hepatitis C medications, HIV/AIDS medications, imatinib, isoniazid, nefazodone, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), rifabutin, rifampin, rifapentine, salicylates (such as aspirin, Pepto-Bismol, and others), seizure medications, St. John's wort, thrombopoietic growth factors, or vasodilators.

The recommended dose of Eliquis for most patients is 5 mg taken orally twice daily.

The recommended dose of Eliquis is 2.5 mg twice daily in patients with at least two of the following characteristics:

• age ≥ 80 years
• body weight ≤ 60 kg
• serum creatinine ≥ 1.5 mg/dL

Coumadin has a wide range of tablets: 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.5 and 10 mg tablets are available. An injectable form of the drug (5 mg) is also available. The dose of Coumadin is determined in each individual by administering a trial dose and ten measuring the patient's INR (International Normalized Ratio), a lab test that is standardized by the WHO (world Health Organization) and recognized worldwide. Therapeutic ranges for this test are between 2.0 to 3.0 when a patient is taking Coumadin. INR levels below 2 may allow easier blood clotting to occur while levels above 3 may cause excessive tendency for the patient to bleed.