Have you recently been prescribed a new medication by your doctor? Perhaps you’ve recently had a knee or hip replacement surgery, and afterward, your doctor had you start taking Eliquis.
If that’s the case, you may be asking yourself, “What is Eliquis used for?”
Starting a new medication can be confusing when you don’t understand what it does or why you’re taking it; Eliquis is no exception. Once you understand Eliquis’ uses, the prescription will make much more sense.
Read on to learn exactly what Eliquis is and what it treats.
Eliquis: The Basics
Eliquis is a blood thinner. Blood thinners are a type of medicine that makes it harder for your blood to coagulate. In other words, it becomes harder for your blood to thicken when Eliquis is in your system.
Eliquis acts to block specific substances within your bloodstream that cause blood to thicken. It doesn’t affect the actual blood cells themselves.
As for Eliquis dosing, it largely depends on your age, weight, and other factors. It’s taken in pill or capsule form and is usually taken twice a day, twelve hours apart.
As with any prescription medication, you should never stop taking Eliquis without talking to your doctor about it first.
Are you wondering, “How much does Eliquis cost?” Don’t worry–it’s quite affordable. There’s also an Eliquis generic equivalent–it’s called apixaban.
If you’re familiar with blood thinners, you should know that they all have one caveat in common. The reduction of coagulants in your blood can increase the dangers of bleeding.
When you cut yourself or get a bruise, the bleeding ultimately stops because the blood coagulates. When a blood thinner makes it harder for blood to coagulate, it has the unfortunate effect of making you bleed longer, too.
Preventing Blood Clots and Strokes
You may be asking what the benefits of blood thinners are, considering the obvious dangers posed by excessive bleeding. The most common reason someone needs the Eliquis blood thinner is to prevent blood clots.
Blood clots occur when blood in your veins coagulates into a semi-solid state. Often, a clot attaches to the inner wall of your vein, staying in one spot until it dissolves again.
On occasion, though, a clot will break off and travel through your veins; this is extremely dangerous.
If a mobile clot reaches your heart or lungs, it can block blood flow; this blockage can prove fatal.
One potential result of a blood clot is a stroke. Strokes occur when blood can’t reach parts of your brain due to a blockage. Without the oxygen that your blood supplies, brain cells quickly begin to die.
Eliquis prevents your blood from ever reaching that semi-solid state, preventing a clot from occurring in the first place.
Working Against Deep Vein Thrombosis
There are two different kinds of blood clots. Blood clots in your veins are called venous clots, while blood clots in your arteries are called arterial clots. Generally, arterial clots are more dangerous.
There is one very dangerous form of venous clots, though. These clots are referred to as deep vein thrombosis.
Thrombus is just another word for blood clot; that explains the ‘thrombosis’ part of the name, but what are deep veins?
Deep veins are exactly what they sound like: veins that are deep inside your body (as opposed to superficial veins, which are the ones you can see through your skin).
Deep veins are large, and they mostly run through your legs. Blood clots can form in these deep veins, causing painful swelling and discoloration. Deep vein thrombosis often results from long periods of inactivity.
This is why Eliquis is often prescribed following hip or knee replacement surgery. Both of those surgeries require long periods of bed rest, which could encourage deep vein thrombosis.
When deep vein thrombosis occurs, the consequences of such a large blood clot breaking off and traveling through the vein are severe. A pulmonary embolism can result from deep vein thrombosis.
Treating Blood Clots
While Eliquis is primarily used to prevent blood clots, they can also be used in the treatment of blood clots. As mentioned, there are a few observable symptoms of blood clots, particularly deep vein thrombosis.
In addition to swelling, pain, and discoloration, blood clots can cause the affected area to feel warm and tender.
If you suspect you’re suffering from deep vein thrombosis (or any other blood clots, for that matter), see your doctor immediately.
By using the Eliquis blood thinner, you can prevent additional buildup of semi-solid blood. This allows clots that have already formed to dissipate safely back into your bloodstream.
This can relieve the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis and prevent serious complications like pulmonary embolisms, in addition to preventing future blood clots.
Potential Side Effects
As with any medication, Eliquis has several potential side effects. Eliquis side effects extend beyond the increased bleeding risk we’ve already covered, though many of the others are also related to blood loss.
The most common side effects are bleeding from injection sites and easier bruising, both of which are the result of less coagulation in your blood.
Nosebleeds are common as well; bleeding from more unusual areas–such as the rectum, vagina, or mouth–may also occur.
Internal bleeding, such as stomach bleeding, is less common, but still possible. Regular alcohol use increases the chances of stomach bleeding.
Because of the increased risk of internal bleeding and bruising, you should contact your doctor if you have a serious fall or similar injury. You may have internal bleeding that you can’t detect on your own.
Blood in your stool or urine is another possible side effect.
You may also feel dizzy or weak, and Eliquis may cause headaches.
What Is Eliquis Used For? Now You Know
You no longer need to wonder, “What is Eliquis used for?” The Eliquis blood thinner is a widely used treatment for blood clots, as well as a preventative for blood clots and strokes related to deep vein thrombosis.
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