Medicines that prevent blood clots

Find out more at https://patient.info/medicine/apixaban-tablets-eliquis#nav-4 and  https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.2878.pdf

Reducing risk of stroke or lung clot:

Treating 301 people with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) with Apixaban instead of warfarin forone yearmight prevent one stroke or blood clot in the lung. 

Reducing risk of bleeding: 

Treating 67 patients with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) with Apixaban instead of warfarin for1.8 years might prevent one major bleeding episode.

Find out more at https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1107039

Find out more at https://patient.info/medicine/dabigatran-capsules-pradaxa# and https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.6229.pdf

110mg twice daily

Reducing risk of stroke or lung clot:

Treating 666 people  with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) with Dabigatran instead of warfarin for one  year might prevent one stroke or blood clot in the lung. 

Reducing risk of bleeding: 

Treating 83 people with Dabigatran instead of Warfarin for 2 years might prevent one major bleeding episode. 

150mg twice daily

Reducing risk of stroke or lung clot:

Treating 182 people with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) with Dabigatran instead of Warfarin for one  year might prevent one stroke or blood clot in the lung. 

Reducing risk of bleeding:

Treating 250 people with Dabigatran instead of Warfarin for 2 years might prevent one major bleeding episode.

Find out more about this research at https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa0905561

Find out more at https://patient.info/medicine/edoxaban-tablets-lixiana and  https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.6905.pdf

Reducing risk of stroke or lung clot:

Treating 468 people with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) with Edoxaban instead of Warfarin for one  year might prevent one stroke or blood clot  in the lung. 

Reducing risk of bleeding:

Treating 67 people with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) with Edoxaban instead of Warfarin for 2.8 years might prevent one major bleeding episode. 

Find out more about this research at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24251359/

Find out more at https://patient.info/medicine/rivaroxaban-tablets-xarelto and  https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.2793.pdf

Reducing risk of stroke or lung clot:

Treating 380 people with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) with Rivaroxaban instead of warfarin for one  year might prevent one stroke or blood clot  in the lung.

Increased risk of bleeding

Treating 260 people with atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat) with Rivaroxaban instead of Warfarin for 1.9 years might cause one major bleeding episode.

Read more about this research at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21830957/

Compared with warfarin, these medicines have the advantage of a stable dosage, and no need for regular blood tests. They are more expensive than warfarin. Research shows that they give a small additional benefit in preventing blood clots. Some slightly reduce the risk of bleeding; others slightly increase the risk of bleeding.

You can discuss with your health professional  the possible side effects and other risks these medicines might have.

Side-effects are unwanted effects that can happen to your body when taking a medicine. 

Not everyone will get side-effects. These usually improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following side-effects persist or worry you.

The most common side-effects of these medicines, affecting less than 1 in 10 people, are:

• Bleeding
• Anaemia and tiredness
• Feeling sick.

You can find out more about the side effects of individual medicines at:

Apixaban: https://patient.info/medicine/apixaban-tablets-eliquis#nav-4

Dabigatran: https://patient.info/medicine/dabigatran-capsules-pradaxa

Edoxaban: https://patient.info/medicine/edoxaban-tablets-lixiana#nav-4

Rivaroxaban: https://patient.info/medicine/rivaroxaban-tablets-xarelto#nav-4