Eliquis and other new generation oral anticoagulant drugs have been touted as some of the best developments to manage blood clots in patients in recent times.

However, despite its widespread use and efficacy for a great number of patients, many current and potential patients wonder, “Is Eliquis dangerous?”

What is Eliquis?

Eliquis (apixaban) is an oral medication taken by patients who are at risk for blood clots and systemic embolism due to atrial fibrillation, or an abnormal heart rhythm.

It is also used to treat and prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) and to prevent blood clots that may occur after major surgeries such as hip or knee replacement.

It was developed as an alternative to warfarin, a blood thinning medication that was used almost exclusively for the last six decades. Warfarin could be cumbersome to administer, as it required specific dietary restrictions and required frequent blood monitoring.

Eliquis offered a more simple dosing schedule, less monitoring of patients and did not require patients to follow any dietary guidelines. It was seen as a vast improvement over its predecessor.

Side Effects: Is Eliquis Dangerous?

As with any drug, Eliquis comes with the potential danger of developing side effects. While many of the side effects associated with Eliquis use are mild and transient, reducing in severity as the body gets used to the medication, one side effect in particular can potentially be fatal.

Patients using Eliquis have an increased risk of bleeding. This risk is consistent with the use of any anticoagulant drug. Because Eliquis blocks the body’s natural mechanisms to form a clot, when a clot is needed to stop bleeding in the body, it cannot form due to the action of Eliquis.

In considering, “Is Eliquis dangerous?” one must consider the risks and benefits of the drug to make that determination. Many doctors may believe that the danger of Eliquis being dangerous is much less than the potential it has to help.

However, some argue that the risks of Eliquis are not clearly stated, and patients and physicians may not know that Eliquis is dangerous due to its lack of antidote.

In particular, gastrointestinal bleeding and bleeding in the brain may result from Eliquis use. These conditions require immediate hospitalization to stabilize the patient. However, it is not possible to reverse the effects of Eliquis to restore the body’s ability to form a clot.

Patients who experienced internal bleeding while on warfarin had the luxury of receiving an antidote that would block the effects of the drug and allow the body to make its own clots. Fresh frozen plasma or intravenous vitamin K could be administered to patients as an antidote for the bleeding.

Eliquis does not have an antidote, and patients who are hospitalized for internal bleeding due to Eliquis use must simply wait until the body has metabolized the drug and it is out of the system before the body can begin clotting again.

Hospital personnel can take measures to stabilize the patient, but in some unfortunate instances, this is not enough. The internal bleeding associated with Eliquis use may be fatal.

Lawsuits Allege Eliquis is Dangerous

Lawsuits have been filed against the maker of Eliquis alleging that Eliquis is dangerous due to its risk of internal bleeding and lack of antidote.

These lawsuits claim that the manufacturer failed to warn patients and physicians of this risk, and severe injury could have been prevented if the manufacturer had appropriately disclosed relevant information about the drug’s safety.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a severe bleeding incident related to Eliquis use and believe that Eliquis is dangerous, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer to recover damages.

An experienced Eliquis attorney can review your case at no charge and can help you understand the legal options that are available to you.