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INDICATIONS
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with AFib not caused by a heart
valve problem and is at an increased risk of stroke, it’s understandable that you
may
have questions. Here are some
answers to help you know more about
the condition, the role of
blood thinners, and ELIQUIS.
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) not caused by a heart valve problem is also known as nonvalvular AFib (NVAF). AFib is the most common type of irregular heartbeat. The majority of all AFib is caused by nonvalvular AFib. With NVAF, the upper chambers of the heart, the atria, quiver (fibrillate) instead of fully contracting to push the blood through the heart. The blood left in the atria can pool and clump together, increasing the risk for clots to form. If a clot breaks loose and travels to the brain, blocking or limiting blood flow, it can cause a stroke. In fact, patients with AFib not caused by a heart valve problem have ≈5 times greater
risk of stroke. The cause of atrial fibrillation, or
AFib, isn't always known, but it becomes more common as you get older.
To learn more, watch the video below.
How AFib
heart valve problem
can lead to a stroke.
The symptoms are not always the same. Some patients don’t feel any symptoms at
all. Some of the common symptoms patients experience include heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or fatigue. Whether you experience symptoms or not, you’re still at a greater risk of stroke from AFib not caused by a heart valve problem.
If you or someone you know has AFib not caused by a heart valve problem, make sure you know the signs of stroke really well—knowing these can help you act fast and get immediate medical attention.
Remember, stroke is a medical emergency. If you notice any of the signs listed below,
call 9-1-1 immediately.
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of
the body
Sudden droopiness around the mouth while trying to smile
Sudden change in vision: blurred, blackened, or double vision in one or both eyes
Sudden headache with or without vomiting and dizziness
Sudden loss of balance or coordination
Sudden trouble with speaking or understanding speech
Note the time when the signs first begin. This information is important for the doctor to know.
Anticoagulants are the most often prescribed blood thinners to reduce risk of stroke due to AFib not caused by a heart valve problem. Anticoagulants increase the risk of bleeding, which can be serious and rarely may lead to death.
To learn more, watch the video below.
Why Blood Thinners
Are Important
It was estimated that in 2021, about 8.7 million patients in the U.S. would have the type of AFib that is not caused by a heart valve problem.
To learn more, watch the video below.
Who is at
at risk for AFib
In most cases, AFib not caused by a heart valve problem is a chronic condition. That means it won't go away on its own. However, if you have AFib not caused by a heart valve problem, there are medicines that can help reduce the risk of stroke, such as blood thinners. Maintaining a healthy diet and getting exercise are also good habits to get into for any condition. Talk to your doctor about diet and exercise or about any other activities you should modify, and ask if a blood thinner is right for you.
Get tips for a heart-healthy diet from the American Heart Association.
If someone you know has AFib not caused by a heart valve problem, it is important that they talk to their doctor about taking medication to help them reduce the risk of stroke. But since it is usually a chronic condition, they may also need advice, encouragement, and support. Here are some of the ways you can help:
Start by learning more about AFib not
caused by a heart valve problem—Knowing more about it will not only help you understand what they are dealing with but also help you offer them informed support.
Be of assistance on doctor visits—Regular physician follow-ups are one of the most important steps a person with AFib not caused by a heart valve problem can take. Create a personalized doctor discussion guide to prepare questions you or your loved one may have for the next appointment.
Follow doctor’s recommendations—If
someone you know is taking ELIQUIS, it’s extremely important that they take it as prescribed by their doctor. They should not change their dose or stop taking ELIQUIS unless their doctor told them to. Stopping ELIQUIS increases their risk of having a stroke.
Help with coverage assistance—You can start by organizing medical and health insurance information where everything is easy to find. If you have questions about your loved one's insurance coverage, a Live Specialist can assist you at 1-855-ELIQUIS (354-7847). Visit the Savings and Support page to learn more.
Lead by example—Chances are, a person with AFib not caused by a heart valve problem will be much more willing to take care of themselves—by eating well, keeping a regular schedule, meditating, taking a walk, etc.—if he or she is around another person who also leads a healthy lifestyle.
Many different factors such as lifestyle and medical conditions can raise the risk of developing AFib not caused by a heart valve problem. It is important to note that the risk of AFib increases with age, especially after age 65. Additional risk factors include, but are not limited to:
High blood pressure
Heart disease such as heart failure and ischemic heart disease
Chronic kidney disease
Diabetes
Overactive thyroid
Lung disease, including COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
Lifestyle habits, such as excessive alcohol and drug use, smoking, and stress
Obesity
Some important safety information to know about ELIQUIS is: (1) Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed it for you. For patients taking ELIQUIS for atrial fibrillation: stopping ELIQUIS increases your risk of having a stroke. Talk to your healthcare team before any surgery, medical, or dental procedures. (2) ELIQUIS can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. This is because ELIQUIS is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting. While taking ELIQUIS, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop. (3) People who take ELIQUIS, and
have medicine injected into their spinal or epidural area, or have a spinal puncture, have a risk of forming a blood clot that can cause long-term or permanent loss of the ability to move (paralysis). (4) A reaction to ELIQUIS can cause hives, rash, itching, and possibly trouble breathing. If you get this reaction, it will usually happen soon after you take a dose of ELIQUIS. Get medical help right away if you have sudden chest pain or chest tightness, have sudden swelling of your face or tongue, have trouble breathing, wheezing, or feeling dizzy or faint. This is not a complete list of all important safety information. Please see full Important Safety Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, for ELIQUIS (apixaban). Please see the U.S. Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, and the Medication Guide for ELIQUIS (apixaban).
ELIQUIS is a type of blood thinner medicine known as an anticoagulant. Learn more about anticoagulants above.
Because AFib not caused by a heart valve problem is considered chronic and generally does not go away, the risk of stroke also does not go away. It is important that you
continue to take ELIQUIS exactly as your doctor prescribes.
Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed it to you. For patients taking ELIQUIS for atrial fibrillation: stopping ELIQUIS increases your risk of having a stroke.
Talk to your healthcare team before any medical procedures. ELIQUIS may need to be stopped before surgery, or a medical or
dental procedure. Your doctor will tell you
when you should stop taking ELIQUIS and when you may start taking it again. If you
have to stop taking ELIQUIS your doctor may prescribe another medicine to help prevent a blood clot from forming.
See Important Safety Information below
Blood clots form through a chain of events that involves several clotting components that interact to cause red blood cells to form a clot. ELIQUIS selectively blocks one clotting factor, Factor Xa, and this makes it less likely that blood clots will form. ELIQUIS can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. This is because ELIQUIS is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting.
View a video to learn more about how ELIQUIS works.
Patients taking ELIQUIS do not need to have routine INR (International Normalized Ratio) blood testing.
Patients taking ELIQUIS do not have any
known dietary restrictions, such as
leafy greens.
ELIQUIS may need to be stopped before surgery, or a medical or dental procedure.
Your doctor will tell you when you should stop taking ELIQUIS and when you may start taking it again. If you have to stop taking ELIQUIS your doctor may prescribe another medicine to help prevent a blood clot from forming. Be sure to talk to your doctor before any surgeries or procedures, and if you have questions about stopping ELIQUIS before surgery.
Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed it to you. Stopping ELIQUIS increases your risk of having a stroke.
See Important Safety Information below
Determining the price you may pay for a medicine can be complicated and depends on many different factors, such as insurance coverage. For more information, view Pricing Information for ELIQUIS.
ELIQUIS can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. This is
because ELIQUIS is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting. While taking
ELIQUIS, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer than usual for any
bleeding to stop.
You may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take ELIQUIS with other medicines
that increase your risk of bleeding, such as:
Tell your doctor if you take any of these medicines.
Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of bleeding when taking ELIQUIS:
See Important Safety Information below
Look out for the following
icons as
you read:
Talk to your healthcare team
Call a healthcare provider right away
Helpful information to remember
Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed it to you
For patients taking ELIQUIS for atrial fibrillation: stopping
ELIQUIS increases your risk of having a stroke.
What are the possible serious side effects of ELIQUIS? This is a list of some of the serious side effects of ELIQUIS.
Bleeding
ELIQUIS can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. This is because ELIQUIS is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting. While taking ELIQUIS, you may bruise more easily and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop.
You may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take ELIQUIS with other medicines that increase your risk of bleeding, such as:
Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms of bleeding when taking ELIQUIS:
Spinal or epidural blood clots (hematoma)
People who take ELIQUIS, and have
medicine injected into their spinal or
epidural area, or have a spinal puncture,
have a risk of forming a blood clot that can cause long-term or permanent loss of the ability to move (paralysis).
Your risk of developing a spinal or epidural blood clot is higher if:
If you take ELIQUIS and receive spinal anesthesia or have a spinal puncture, your doctor should watch you closely for symptoms of spinal or epidural blood clots or bleeding.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these signs or symptoms (especially in your legs and feet) when taking ELIQUIS:
A reaction to ELIQUIS itself
A reaction to ELIQUIS can cause hives, rash, itching, and possibly trouble breathing. If you get this reaction, it will usually happen soon after you take a dose of ELIQUIS.
Get medical help right away if you have any of the following symptoms:
Talk to your doctor about any side effect that may be bothering you or that does not go away. These are not all of the possible side effects of ELIQUIS. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You are encouraged to report any side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Who should not take ELIQUIS?
ELIQUIS is not for patients who:
What should I discuss with my healthcare team before starting ELIQUIS?
Talk to your healthcare team about the following:
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed. You and your doctor should decide if you will take ELIQUIS or breastfeed. You should not do both.
Females who are able to become pregnant: talk with your healthcare provider about pregnancy planning, and your risk of severe uterine bleeding if you are treated with blood thinner medicines, including ELIQUIS.
Tell your healthcare team about all the medicines you take, including any:
How should I take ELIQUIS?
Take ELIQUIS exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Twice daily
With or without food
Do not change your dose or stop taking ELIQUIS unless your doctor tells you to.
What if I miss a dose of ELIQUIS?
If you miss a dose of ELIQUIS, take it as soon as you remember, and do not take more than one dose at the same time.
When should I refill my prescription?
If you are taking ELIQUIS for atrial fibrillation, stopping ELIQUIS may increase your risk of having a stroke. Do not
run out of ELIQUIS. Refill your prescription before
you run out. When leaving the hospital following hip or knee replacement, be sure that
you will have ELIQUIS available to avoid missing any doses.
ELIQUIS is available in two different tablets. Your doctor or healthcare provider will determine what dose is right for you.
2.5 mg tablet
Round, with a pale yellow color
5 mg tablet
Oval, with a pale orange or pink color
Note: Images do not represent actual tablet size.
On one side of each tablet, there is a number indicating the dosage
strength of the tablet (in milligrams).
On the other side, there is a
medication identification number.
What is ELIQUIS?
ELIQUIS is a prescription medicine used to:
Reduce the risk of stroke and
blood clots in people who have
atrial fibrillation (AFib),
a type of irregular heartbeat,
not
caused by a heart valve
problem.
Treat blood clots in the
veins of the legs (deep vein thrombosis – DVT) or lungs
(pulmonary embolism – PE), and
reduce the risk of them occurring again.
Reduce the risk of forming a
blood clot in the legs (DVT)
and lungs (PE) of people who
have just had hip or knee replacement surgery.
Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.
The product information provided in this
site is intended only for residents of the
United States. The products discussed herein may have different product labeling in
different countries.
The health information contained herein is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace discussions with
a healthcare provider. All decisions
regarding patient care must be made with a healthcare provider, considering the unique characteristics of the patient.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
For people taking ELIQUIS® (apixaban) for atrial fibrillation: Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed it for you. Stopping ELIQUIS increases your risk of having a stroke.
ELIQUIS may need to be stopped prior to surgery or a medical or dental procedure. Your doctor will tell you when you should stop
taking ELIQUIS and when you may start taking it again. If you have to stop taking ELIQUIS, your doctor may prescribe another
medicine to help prevent a blood clot from forming.
ELIQUIS can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. This is because ELIQUIS is a blood thinner
medicine that reduces blood clotting.
You may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take ELIQUIS and take other medicines that increase your risk of bleeding, such as
aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (called NSAIDs), warfarin (COUMADIN®), heparin, selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and other medicines to help prevent or treat blood clots.
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take, including any over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
ELIQUIS® and the ELIQUIS logo are trademarks
of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
All other trademarks are property of their
respective companies.
© 2022 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
432-US-2200454 10/22
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My doctor prescribed ELIQUIS (apixaban) for:
To Reduce Stroke Risk Due to AFib Not Caused by
a Heart Valve Problem
The ELIQUIS® (apixaban)
Starter Kit (PDF)
The ELIQUIS® (apixaban)
Dosing Guide (PDF)
The ELIQUIS® (apixaban)
Discussion Guide (PDF)
The ELIQUIS® (apixaban)
Discussion Guide (PDF)
The ELIQUIS® (apixaban)
Starter Kit (PDF)
Full Prescribing
Information (PDF)
If you need Adobe® Reader®, click the link below to download the free reader
Link to Adobe Reader Download page.
You may be eligible for the Co-pay Card for ELIQUIS® (apixaban) if:
Questions can also be submitted via
mail to:
P.O. Box 2914
Phoenix, AZ, 85062-2914.
BY USING THIS CARD, YOU AND YOUR PHARMACIST UNDERSTAND AND AGREE
TO COMPLY WITH THESE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND TERMS OF USE.
To the pharmacist: For processing assistance, please call McKesson
Pharmacy Support at 1-866-279-4730.
Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.
You may be eligible for the Free 30-Day
Trial Offer for ELIQUIS® (apixaban) if:
BY USING THIS CARD, YOU AND YOUR PHARMACIST UNDERSTAND AND
AGREE
TO COMPLY WITH THESE
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND
TERMS OF USE.
To the pharmacist: For processing
assistance, please call McKesson
Pharmacy Support at
Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.
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