Apixaban

Apixaban, sold under the brand name Eliquis among others, is an anticoagulant medication that directly inhibits factor Xa. It is used to treat and prevent blood clots and to prevent stroke in people with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, and it is an alternative to warfarin for preventing clots after hip or knee replacement and in people with a history of clots. Unlike warfarin it does not require monitoring by blood tests or dietary restrictions, and it has fewer interactions with other medications. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects are bleeding and nausea, and use is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb began developing it in 2007, and it was approved for medical use in the European Union in May 2011 and in the United States in December 2012. It is on the World Health Organization List of Essential Medicines. This entry records what is held about the drug and is not medical advice.