What Is Eliquis (Apixaban)?

Medically Reviewed by Leah Mueller, PharmD on May 25, 2024
Written by Christina Bookwalter, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, MS MEd
5 min read

Eliquis (apixaban) is a type of blood thinner known as a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC). It's used for: 

  • Preventing strokes or blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat   
  • Treating and preventing blood clots including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (blood clot in the veins) and pulmonary embolism (PE) (blood clot in the lungs)
  • Preventing blood clots after hip or knee replacement surgery

The active ingredient in Eliquis is apixaban. It is classified as a Xa (pronounced "ten A") inhibitor. This means that the drug will inhibit or stop part of a reaction that occurs in your body to make blood clot. By stopping part of the reaction, the blood is less likely to form a clot. 

It comes as an oral tablet in a 2.5-milligram strength or a 5-milligram strength. You should take it by mouth twice a day with or without food. The doses should be taken 12 hours apart. 

Atrial fibrillation 

In a large study including over 18,000 people, Eliquis was compared to warfarin (a different blood thinner, which was the standard of care) in people who had atrial fibrillation and at least one other condition that increased their risk for a stroke. The study was looking at the differences in risks for strokes and blood clots while also looking for the side effect of bleeding. The average age of people in the trial was 70. Of the people in the study,  83% were White, 14% were Asian, and 1% were African American. The 89-week study showed that Eliquis was better than warfarin for stroke and blood clot prevention with fewer bleeding events. 

DVT and PE 

In a study including over 5,000 people, Eliquis was compared to the combination of enoxaparin and warfarin (the standard of care for DVT and PE treatment) in people who had a proximal DVT or PE. The average age of people in the trial was 57 years old. Of the people in the trial, 83% were White, 8% were Asian, and 4% were African American. The study was 150 days long. At the end, the study showed that Eliquis was as effective as the enoxaparin-warfarin combination in lowering the risk of having a second blood clot or death related to a blood clot. People taking Eliquis also had less major bleeding. 

The most common side effects are related to bleeding. Make sure to have a first aid kit on hand with bandages in case you cut yourself and bleed. In the first aid section of the pharmacy, you can find medicated gauze that is specially formulated to help blood clot. You can use this for deeper cuts to help them stop bleeding. To help prevent a nosebleed, you can keep your nasal passages moist with saline nose spray or use a humidifier in your room. Be careful when shaving, and consider using an electric razor to minimize your risk of cutting yourself.     

There is also a risk for more serious bleeding, including stomach bleeding. Certain medications such as aspirin and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can increase your risk for a stomach bleed. Examples of NSAIDs include ibuprofen, meloxicam, and naproxen. You should discuss these medications with your doctor to confirm they are right for you before you take them.  

Drinking more than eight alcoholic drinks per week can also increase your risk for a stomach bleed. Limit alcohol while you are taking Eliquis. 

You and your health care provider will work together to minimize your risks for bleeding. If your risk is high enough, your health care provider might give you a prescription medication to help protect your stomach from bleeding while you are on Eliquis. 

These are not all of the possible side effects. Talk with your health care provider if you are having symptoms that bother you. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or by calling 800-FDA-1088. In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.

Medicines that inhibit an enzyme called CYP3A4 and a protein called P-glycoprotein (P-gp) can increase the levels of Eliquis in your blood and your risk of side effects. Your dose of Eliquis may need to be changed with these medicines, and you may need to avoid combining some of these with Eliquis. Your pharmacist or health care provider can tell you if any of the medications you are taking will affect Eliquis. 

Your risk of bleeding can be increased if you combine Eliquis with other medicines that cause bleeding. Some examples of other medicines that may cause bleeding include antiplatelets like clopidogrel (Plavix) and ticagrelor (Brilinta), aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) like duloxetine.

Check with your health care provider before starting or stopping any medicines while taking Eliquis. 

This is not a complete list of interactions. Tell your pharmacist or health care provider about all the prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, or other supplements you take or have recently taken. This will help them determine if there are any interactions or if you need a dose adjustment.

You should stop taking Eliquis when you are instructed to by your health care provider. If you need to have surgery or a procedure, you should talk to your health care provider about creating a plan on how to safely stop your Eliquis to prepare for the surgery or procedure. 

If you are taking Eliquis for atrial fibrillation or certain types of blood clots, you will likely be on the medicine for the long term. But if you are taking Eliquis for the prevention of blood clots after surgery or specific types of blood clots, you may only be on the medication for a short time. Your health care provider will review with you how long you should take Eliquis when you start taking the medicine.

You should not take Eliquis if you have had an allergic reaction to Eliquis in the past or if you are experiencing major bleeding. Eliquis is not for people who have certain conditions such as a prosthetic heart valve or certain types of antiphospholipid syndrome.

You will need a prescription from a health care provider. Your primary care provider or a specialist such as a cardiologist (heart doctor) or hematologist (blood doctor) may prescribe it. In some cases, an emergency department doctor will provide you with your first prescription. You can get it at any pharmacy.

A copay card from the manufacturer may allow you to pay $10 for your prescription. Whether you are eligible depends on whether you have health insurance and what type of insurance you have. You can find out more at www.eliquis.bmscustomerconnect.com/ELIQUIS-agnostic-savings-support.