Xarelto is FDA-approved to reduce the risk of strokes and blood clots in Americans with atrial fibrillation (A-fib) that’s not caused by a heart valve problem. A-fib is a type of irregular heartbeat. It can disrupt the flow of blood around your body and increase your risk of having a blood clot. Blood clots can sometimes be dangerous. For example, a blood clot that travels to your brain can cause a stroke. Xarelto is an anticoagulant (blood thinner). It lowers your risk of having strokes and blood clots. One study found Xarelto was as effective as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) in preventing stroke and blood clots in people with A-fib. (Warfarin is a different type of anticoagulant that’s recommended as a treatment option for A-fib in current guidelines.)
In this study, 3.8% of people taking Xarelto had a stroke or blood clot. In comparison, 4.3% of patients taking warfarin had a stroke or blood clot.
SIDE EFFECTS:
USA Script Helpers understands the mild side effects of Xarelto that are more common* can include: fatigue (lack of energy), belly pain, back pain, muscle spasm, dizziness, fainting, anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping, itching. Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. But if they become more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects from Xarelto can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Patients should seek medical treatment right away if they experience any of the following symptoms: Unexpected bleeding or bleeding that lasts a long time, such as: Nose bleeds that happen often, unusual bleeding from the gums, menstrual bleeding that is heavier than normal or vaginal bleeding, bleeding that is severe and cannot be controlled, red, pink or brown urine, bright red or black stools that look like tar, coughing up blood or blood clots, vomiting blood or vomiting what resembles “coffee grounds”, headaches, dizziness or weakness, pain, swelling or new drainage at wound sites
WARNINGS:
It is very important that you pay attention to any signs or symptoms that seem out of the ordinary. USH is committed to helping Americans not only with their medications but informing them on how to stay safe when it comes to their prescription needs. The first warning advises patients taking Xarelto not to prematurely discontinue its use, as doing so may result in an increased risk of adverse thrombotic events, such as stroke. The manufacturer of the blood thinner also notes that in clinical trials involving patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), an increased risk of stroke has been observed in such individuals when switching from Xarelto to warfarin. The label directs that if use of the anticoagulant medication is discontinued for a reason other than bleeding or end of treatment, patients should strongly consider the use of another blood thinner in Xarelto’s place.
The second warning advises patients of the potential for epidural or spinal hematomas (a collection, or “pooling,” of blood outside the body’s blood vessels) to occur in individuals receiving neuraxial anesthesia (such as an epidural) or undergoing a spinal puncture. The warning further states that these hematomas can result in long-term or permanent paralysis, and that patients at risk should be routinely monitored for signs and symptoms of neurological impairment.
Lastly, points to bleeding as a serious side effect, which can even lead to death. Taking certain medications, including certain painkillers known as NSAIDs (or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), aspirin, and certain antidepressants including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), along with Xarelto, can increase a patient’s risk for bleeding.
INTERACTIONS:
USA Script Helpers understands that some products that may interact with this drug include: mifepristone, other drugs that can cause bleeding/bruising (including antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel, “blood thinners” such as warfarin, enoxaparin), certain antidepressants (including SSRIs such as fluoxetine, SNRIs such as desvenlafaxine/venlafaxine).
Other medications can affect the removal of rivaroxaban from your body, which may affect how rivaroxaban works. Examples include cobicistat, conivaptan, certain azole antifungals (itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole), rifamycins (such as rifampin), HIV protease inhibitors (such as lopinavir, ritonavir), St. John’s wort, drugs used to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital), among others.
Aspirin can increase the risk of bleeding when used with this medication. However, if your doctor has directed you to take low-dose aspirin for heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams a day), you should continue taking it unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
OVERDOSE
USA Script Helpers wants to inform readers that it is possible to overdose on Xarelto (rivaroxaban) by consuming large amounts of the drug. If an overdose is suspected, patients are urged to seek immediate treatment as potentially life-threatening bleeding complications can occur. Due to Xarelto’s high plasma protein binding, the drug is not dialyzable, meaning dialysis cannot be used to remove the medication from the patient’s blood. Since there is currently no specific antidote generally available to reverse bleeding in patients taking Xarelto, activated charcoal may be used to reduce absorption of the drug.
Mild cases of overdose may not result in any symptoms. Since there is currently no easy or overall effective way to treat a Xarelto overdose that results in bleeding, treatment is likely to be largely symptomatic and supportive, minimizing complications that occur rather than preventing them. Symptoms of an overdose may include: Vision or speech changes
vomiting blood, severe headache, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg (this may be a sign of bleeding in the brain)
easy bruising, black, tarry stools or bright red blood in the stool (this may be a sign of gastrointestinal bleeding).
STORAGE
USH recommends to store Xarelto at room temperature (approximately 77°F/25°C). Do not store it in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets. Use/discard the crushed tablet mixture within 4 hours. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult our Pharmacist or local waste disposal company.
Although USA Script Helpers is not covered by Medicare, USA Script Helpers offers Americans medical expense reports that you may submit to your local insurance companies. Should you be reimbursed that is separate from us. USA Script Helpers also offers best priced* guaranteed for all medications to all Americans. For more information simply give us a call at 1 (888) 646-7749.
