Why take pradaxa

If you are taking Pradaxa to prevent strokes due to an abnormal heart beat Your doctor may reduce the dose you take if you are:. Your doctor will weigh your risk of bleeding against your risk of having a blood clot before deciding if the reduced dose is right for you.

All medicines have risks as well as benefits. The most serious risk associated with Pradaxa is bleeding. Bleeding is a risk for all medicines that thin the blood including warfarin and aspirin. Patients should contact their doctor immediately if they experience any of the following: long or excessive bleeding, exceptional weakness, tiredness, paleness, dizziness, headache, unexplained bruising or unexplained swelling.

Medsafe generally does not place prescribing restrictions on medicines; historically this has only occurred in very rare cases where the potential for very serious harm had been identified. The patient's physician is best placed to decide on the choice of appropriate medicine and dose based on:. The overall risks and benefits of the medicine are outlined in the data sheet and in other material that has been published about Pradaxa see links in Question 8 below.

Since this medicine is used as a fixed dose for all patients Medsafe saw no reason to impose prescribing restrictions. In addition other anticoagulants have similar risks and are not restricted. Pradaxa dabigatran consumer medicine information CMI. The company who makes Pradaxa is continuing to investigate the safety of this medicine in clinical studies. Should these show any new safety issues, Medsafe will take appropriate action. Healthcare professionals and consumers can report to CARM.

They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. Note: Some of the drugs listed here are used off-label to treat these specific conditions. Other medications that may be used to decrease your risk of blood clots, prevent blood clots occurring again, or prevent clotting after surgery include:.

You may wonder how Pradaxa compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Pradaxa and Eliquis are alike and different.

The active drug ingredient in Pradaxa is called dabigatran. The active drug ingredient in Eliquis is apixaban. Eliquis comes as a tablet that you swallow. The tablet can also be crushed and dissolved in water, water and dextrose sugar , or apple juice; or mixed with applesauce.

In addition, the tablet can be dissolved in water and given through a nasogastric tube. Pradaxa and Eliquis both contain anticoagulant blood thinning medications. Therefore, these medications can cause some similar side effects, but they can also cause some different ones.

Below are examples of these side effects. These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur with Pradaxa, with Eliquis, or with both drugs when taken individually.

This list contains examples of serious side effects that can occur with both Pradaxa and Eliquis when taken individually :. These drugs have been compared in a retrospective study on non-valvular A-fib.

In this case, a retrospective study is one that looks back in time to compare data from people with A-fib who took either Pradaxa or Eliquis.

This study showed that the people who took Pradaxa had a 1. In the Pradaxa group, there was a 0. Pradaxa and Eliquis are both brand-name drugs. There are currently no generic forms of either drug.

Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics. According to estimates on GoodRx. Like Eliquis above , the drug warfarin Coumadin has uses similar to those of Pradaxa. Warfarin, on the other hand, can be used in people with heart valve replacements. Warfarin comes as a tablet that you swallow. Your doctor may adjust your dosage based on blood tests. A small change in your warfarin dosage can greatly change how thin your blood is. Pradaxa and warfarin both contain drugs that help prevent blood clots.

These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur with Pradaxa, with warfarin, or with both drugs when taken individually. These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Pradaxa, with warfarin, or with both drugs when taken individually.

A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. Warfarin is also approved to reduce the risk of blood clots in people with A-fib and heart valve replacements.

The use of Pradaxa and warfarin in treating nonvalvular A-fib has been directly compared in a clinical study. In the study, the rate of death from any cause was 3.

In these studies , people took either warfarin or Pradaxa after being treated for 5 to 10 days with an anticoagulant in injection form. Pradaxa is a brand-name medication. Warfarin is a generic medication called warfarin.

Pradaxa is a type of drug called an anticoagulant, which is often referred to as a blood thinner. Pradaxa belongs to a class of medications called direct-acting oral anticoagulants, or DOACs. A medication class is a group of drugs that work in a similar way. DOACs are anticoagulants, and they work by blocking thrombin. This is an enzyme in your blood that helps blood clot. An enzyme is a protein that aids chemical changes in your body. No, there are no foods that are known to interact with Pradaxa.

With some other medications, such as warfarin Coumadin , there are foods that you need to watch out for. Certain foods can make warfarin not work as well and may put you at risk for blood clots. Examples of these foods include broccoli, spinach, and black licorice. This is because the grapefruit can increase the level of Pradaxa in your body, which may increase your risk of having a bleed.

Never stop taking Pradaxa without first talking with your doctor. Stopping Pradaxa use before your doctor advises you to can increase your risk of blood clots or stroke. Ask your doctor if and when you should stop taking Pradaxa before having surgery. In certain situations, such as switching from Pradaxa to warfarin Coumadin , you may have to start taking warfarin a few days before stopping Pradaxa treatment.

They can help you determine when to take your last dose of Pradaxa and your first dose of the new medication. There are no interactions between Tylenol and Pradaxa. These medications are usually used to ease swelling and pain, and taking them with Pradaxa may increase your risk for bleeding. If you have a fever, pain, or swelling while taking Pradaxa, ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend a treatment.

Not usually. This may help prevent you from bleeding too much during and afterward. Your dentist and doctor will discuss a safe length of time for you to stop taking Pradaxa.

Storing Pradaxa in your pill box may expose the medication to moisture. This can cause it to not work properly and be dangerous to you. So you should keep Pradaxa in its original bottle or blister package so the drug stays dry. This makes Pradaxa much more convenient to take. There are no major interactions between alcohol and Pradaxa. However, Pradaxa helps prevent blood clots, and alcohol can also prevent clotting from occurring.

Pradaxa can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods. Different interactions can cause different effects.

For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase the number of side effects or make them more severe. Below is a list of medications that can interact with Pradaxa. Before taking Pradaxa, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. This is because primidone can decrease the level of Pradaxa in your body, which puts you at an increased risk for getting a blood clot. They may suggest different medications. Clopidogrel Plavix is a medication that works by preventing the platelets in your blood from clotting. This is because it may increase your risk for bleeding. NSAIDs are medications that are usually used to ease fever, swelling, and pain.

The drug dronedarone Multaq can increase the level of Pradaxa in your body if you have kidney problems such as chronic kidney disease. This can be dangerous, because if you have more Pradaxa in your body, you may have more severe side effects and an increased risk for bleeding. If you have kidney problems such as chronic kidney disease, you may need to avoid taking certain oral medications that treat fungal infections while using Pradaxa.

Oral medications are drugs in pill, capsule, or liquid form that you swallow. It makes your blood flow through your veins more easily. This means your blood will be less likely to make a dangerous blood clot. It's used to treat people who have had a health problem caused by a blood clot, such as:.

It's also used to prevent blood clots if you're at high risk of having them in the future. Take our survey. Dabigatran is not suitable for some people. Tell your doctor if you:. It's usual to take it twice a day. You can take it with or without food, but try to take it at the same time every day.

Avoid opening up dabigatran capsules as this increases the risk of side effects. For a heart problem called atrial fibrillation or a blood clot DVT or pulmonary embolism — the usual dose is mg twice a day.

For a hip or knee joint replacement — the usual dose is mg twice a day. Your doctor may give you a lower dose if you're at increased risk of bleeding. If you're unsure what dose you need to take, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

For atrial fibrillation or a blood clot — take the forgotten dose as soon as you remember. If it's due in less than 6 hours, skip the forgotten dose.

For a hip or knee joint replacement — skip the forgotten dose completely and then take your next dose when it's due. Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

You could ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember your medicines. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice straight away, as taking too much dabigatran puts you at risk of bleeding. How long you need to take dabigatran for will depend on why you're taking it. Carry this with you all the time. It tells healthcare professionals that you're taking an anticoagulant. This can be useful for them to know in case of a medical emergency. If you need any medical or dental treatment, show your anticoagulant alert card to the nurse, doctor or dentist.

This includes before you have vaccinations and routine sessions with the dental hygienist. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking dabigatran or reduce your dose for a short time. If you need to switch from warfarin to dabigatran, your doctor will advise you when to stop taking warfarin.

Your doctor or anticoagulant clinic will do a blood test called the international normalised ratio INR to check how quickly your blood's clotting. If you need to switch from dabigatran to warfarin, you may need to take both medicines together for a few days. While dabigatran has enormous benefits, the downside is that it can make you bleed more than normal. This is because while you're taking dabigatran, your blood will not clot as easily. It's usual to bleed more easily than normal while you're taking dabigatran.

If it happens, keep taking dabigatran, but tell your doctor if the bleeding bothers you or does not stop.

While you're taking dabigatran, be careful when you do activities that might cause an injury or a cut or bruising. Like all medicines, dabigatran can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. This can cause a very severe headache, fits seizures , changes to your eyesight, numbness or tingling in your arms or legs, and make you feel very tired, weak or sick.

If you suddenly get any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. This is an emergency. They're usually mild and do not last long, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:. In rare cases, dabigatran can cause a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis.

You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. These are not all the side effects of dabigatran. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. Dabigatran is not normally recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Some medicines and supplements can interfere with dabigatran. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have back pain, tingling, numbness, muscle weakness especially in your legs and feet , loss of control of the bowels or bladder incontinence.

Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you have kidney problems, bleeding problems, stomach ulcers, or have antiphospholipid syndrome APS. Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you are a female who is able to become pregnant. Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk for severe bleeding from the uterus if you are treated with blood thinner medicines, including PRADAXA.