Patients who suffered unexpected bleeding side effects after taking the anticoagulant Eliquis allege the manufacturer’s promotional materials led them to expect a safer drug.

Eliquis safety was recently called into question as just one of three of this pharmaceutical drug group made to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE), and other systemic blood clotting events potentially leading to stroke during total joint replacement surgery or the recovery phase afterwards.

It is also prescribed for patients that have non-valvular atrial fibrillation – a heart condition with ongoing arrhythmia.

Eliquis Safety Versus Warfarin Safety

Warfarin has been the commonly used anticoagulant or blood thinning drug preferred by physicians for decades. Warfarin requires regular blood monitoring through lab tests during the patients course of treatment – an inconvenience which gave Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb a marketing loophole for Eliquis.

The joint developers and manufacturers of Eliquis aggressively marketed the drug after its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2012. According to the marketing campaigns that were like those of Pradaxa and Xarelto, Eliquis safety and efficacy was superior to warfarin and didn’t require any of the blood tests commonly associated with the latter.

What About Reversal?

Eliquis safety has recently been brought into question, however, with several serious medical events (SME) reported in conjunction with its use. Like all anticoagulants, Eliquis carries an inherent risk of causing excessive bleeding injuries. by inhibiting the blood’s ability to clot, bleeding that could otherwise be gotten under control might be severe enough to threaten the patient’s life.

Eliquis, Pradaxa, and Xarelto – the trifecta of modern problematic blood-thinners – have one very significant issue in common.  When they were released, there was no antidote if uncontrolled bleeding should occur during treatment.

An antidote for Pradaxa was approved by the FDA in October 2015, after the drug had already been on the market for several years. To date, no available antidote for Eliquis or Xarelto has made it to market.

Common Eliquis Side Effects

Common Eliquis side effects that have been noted have been:

• Uncontrolled gastrointestinal bleeding
• Kidney bleeding
• Hemorrhagic stroke or bleeding in the brain
• Bleeding within the eye
• Anemia due to bleeding
• Anaphylactic shock or serious allergic reaction
• Nausea
• Rebounding blood clots if the patient withdraws from the drug quickly.
• Death

Less Common and Potentially Little Known Side Effects of Eliquis

Other less common Eliquis side effects that have been noted are:

• Low blood pressure
• Nose bleeds
• Bleeding gums
• Bruising
• Bleeding at a surgical incision site
• Breathing problems

Some potential Eliquis side effects being monitored by consumer advocate groups through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) are:

• Liver injury
• Possible relationship to new cases of colon cancer

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