Eliquis vs. Xarelto

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

Eliquis (apixaban) and Xarelto (rivaroxaban) are anticoagulants (blood thinners) used to reduce blood clotting and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Xarelto is often used in patients undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery.

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 Xarelto include:

• bleeding complications, including major bleeding events.

Other side effects of Xarelto include:

• fainting,
• itching,
• pain in your arms or legs,
• muscle pain, and
• muscle spasms.

Xarelto side effects that are severe are spinal hematomas that may develop after spinal surgery with this drug.

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.

Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is a Factor Xa inhibitor indicated for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis which may lead to pulmonary embolism in patients undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery.

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.

Xarelto may also interact with dexamethasone, barbiturates, seizure medications, and medicines to treat narcolepsy.

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

The recommended dose of Xarelto is 10 mg taken orally once daily with or without food.