Today I saw a new TV commercial for Eliquis. (Unfortunately we in the USA are bombarded with TV ads for every pharma drug in the universe. 🙄) This commercial was the 1st one that stated that Eliquis is a blood thinner. Not an anticoagulant. A blood thinner. Many on the forum have reiterated at different times that Eliquis is not a blood thinner. Guess big pharma finally found out otherwise. It has stated in older commercials that it can cause severe bleeding and bruising. But it was not called a blood thinner. As time goes by after these drugs are on the market and more side effects crop up, big pharma has to update their wonderful commercials. I personally think these commercials should be banned from being advertised in any form. TV. Magazines. Newspapers. It's ridiculous. And it proves that the big pharmas are making lots of money as they spend billions of dollars on their ads. I would think all that money could be better spent by possibly donating to research to learn more about different illnesses. It's obscene how corrupt big pharma has gotten.
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Certainly agree with you about Big Pharma and TV commercials. Eliquis is an anticoagulant. The use of the term blood thinner on TV commercials is to make it more understandable to the general public. I have been taking it for years without any problems. I'm sure that many people on this forum have been taking apixaban, the generic name for Eliquis without problems. Best wishes, etheral
Hi etheral, I take a similar anticoagulant called Edoxaban with commercial name Lixiana. I am surprised an anticoagulant is sold over the counter as it were. I take 30mg a day because my weight is just under the 60kg. If I weighed more the dose would be double. Keeps me from putting on weight lol. Anticoagulants need medical advice. I used to take aspirin but it has an effect on platelets. I would have to look it up for exactly what it does, There is a difference how it works on preventing clots. The term blood thinner seems to be used across the board but gives the wrong suggestion of how these medicines work. As with many of you I need an anticoagulant to prevent clots forming within the heart because of a defect and also because of paroxysmal Afib. I can’t imagine anyone taking such a drug as Epixaban or similar without medical supervision for dosage and advice. Perhaps it’s part of the ‘treat yourself against Covid’ idea because Covid can cause clots to form in the organs, and not only the lungs. But very reckless of a company to allow it be sold like this as in over large doses it could cause bleeding on the brain. At least we on here seem to be clued up.
When, in the future, aliens come to visit Earth and find one dead civilization, they will wonder what has caused the destruction and will have the problem to understand, that we have been destroyed by an imaginary subject - the profit. Profit rules this world!
Warm thanks to administrators!
I too was astonished, (being from UK), when I lived for some years in an area where US TV was shown and I saw the big business aspect of Pharma for the first time. It's not pretty and it's not right but that doesn't mean to say that all of the drugs we have available to us are in some way detrimental to us. I'm on Eliquis and absolutely delighted that's the case. Knowing I'm more than five times more likely to have a stroke than is normal was, to say the least, scary, and the thought of being treated with something which is, after all, also used to kill rats (warfarin), was even scarier. It was with relief that I was prescribed Eliquis and it's given me no problems at all. It is an anti-coagulant it's true, not a 'blood thinner', but that's the more easily understood term for people who are taking it and even the medical profession here in UK routinely refers to most anti-coagulants as 'blood thinners'. I also chose that term for my medalert bracelet, as it's more likely to be understood by a member of the public if I should need emergency treatment and can't speak up for myself for any reason.
What is the diffrrence between “anti coagulant “ and “blood thinner??? “Semantics
I too am from UK and take Apixaban as directed by the cardiologist .
Pharmaceutical sales strictly regulated here ! But , most companies have a beneficial connection to a government politician . Greed and corruption is rife!!
The simple answer is that anti-coagulants do not work by thinning the blood. In short they do so by interrupting the body's process of forming clots, but that's not by thinning it. They target thrombin and fibrin, and in the case of warfarin, vitamin K, and interrupt the process of potential clot formation. This probably sounds a simplistic explanation, and it is, but there is a plethora of articles online which are fuller but still understandable. Semantics? Yes, somehow that's the case here. There's no reason why the average person could not understand, or be taught to understand what anti-coagulant means and how it works. But that's the thing with language and its common parlance. There are some words and terms which just do enter everyday speech and become commonplace. It doesn't matter to me which term is used, as I understand the underpinning process. But I do feel that the connotation of 'blood thinner' can unnecessarily frighten people and even deter them from taking one.Pharma greed? Seemingly yes, but if it boils down to an effective treatment, (and in the case of Elequis, a far less dramatic intervention than warfarin), it's no contest for me. However I'm in the fortunate position of receiving mine via an NHS service which provides me with mine, for free. I do feel for anyone who needs any drug which is out of reach through cost. And how much of that cost would be down to greed and possible corruption, I really have no idea at all!
Asprin is an example of an anti-platelet. Eliquis (Apixaban) is an anticoagulant.
There is no such thing as a blood thinner but somehow it has become common parlance in the medical and pharmaceutical arenas and in my opinion, a dumbing down of language which only causes confusion and misunderstanding. That is why many of us on this forum get SO frustrated when they are both referred to as blood thinners.
There is nothing that affects the viscosity of blood therefor it cannot be thinned because blood consists of cells suspended in a serum. Anti-platelets are given to stop platelets sticking together and causing clots and very affective at breaking clumps up - used after stroke or heart attack or to prevent clumping in certain blood disorders and DVT’s.
Anti-coagulants actually prevent cells coagulating at a much earlier stage of the process and much more affective at preventing clots forming, especially in the heart and lessen stroke risk.
I’m not surprised you get confused Belindalore because you are being fed misinformation by companies trying to make profit but unfortunately if you don’t challenge them, people will continue to swallow whole their rhetoric.
I despaired of the brain washing from allowing drugs to be advertised on TV in US but that comes from US rejecting legislation of advertising for drugs and medical services.
Well you are right. However, I do feel that anti-coagulants like Eliquis do have a blood smoothing effect. For me, I think that because my blood is slightly less sticky, the hole in my heart is able to close more tightly than it did before. This prevents me having the attacks of migraine that I had before I started taking it.
However, I may be totally wrong about this.
Apixaban stops blood coagulating but there must be a 'before blood coagulates' effect.
Ahmen to that CD and thank you for stopping me going into orbit by putting things right. in print.
It might help if someone could explain exactly what happens to the blood to stop it coagulating. On second thoughts, if it involves lots of chemistry, maybe not!
Ordinary blood which is a bit sticky to blood which is a bit less sticky.
You are right, its too complicated for most people. Firstly you have to understand how clots form and why and the mechanics used in the wonderful human body and then how the various chemicals interrupt parts of that process. Surfice to say that stickyness and or viscosity do not come into it. This "blood thinners" monica is both insulting to intelligent people (as most of us are) and causes untold worry to many. The idea that your blood gets thinned then creates the fear that if too thin it may leak spontaneously which of course is nonsense. I agree with CD that this is another dumbing down to keep patients worrying and just another example of the curruption of the English Language. We will all start beginning sentences with SO soon.
Well, it's not just that. We all know that, if we cut ourselves, the blood clots just as quickly as if we were not taking the anti-coagulants. However, if we have a major accident then the blood will not clot when it should do, there is some chemical or chemicals missing. Ok, I know there are drugs to reverse the effect of the anticoagulants but the blood is not the same as normal blood. It acts as if it is thinner.
Personally, I don't care what they call it People understand thin, they are not familiar with the word coagulate.
Good grief why on earth would people not understand coagulate? A spade should be called a spade.
I understand coagulate and you understand it but probably 50% of the population wouldn't really know. 100% understand thin.
You need to say what people can understand that's why doctors say blood thinners. Do they say 'can I feel your abdomen? No, they say 'can I feel your tummy'? Where is a 'tummy' in medical terms?
But they are very willing to use the terms anti-histamine and anti-biotic, no dumbing down there. And "thin" may be easily understood, but it's 100% incorrect.
Shouldn't that read 100% misunderstand thin blood then, as there is no such thing?
Although some people are very clued up on medical things these days, I think that probably most people aren't.
Could it be that blood which is missing that certain something which makes it clot is a bit reduced in some way?
Not reduced but given the ability to not cause a stroke inducing clot. So enhanced I would say.
All the best.
Roy
Well it depends on where you are coming from. If you were in a bad road accident you wouldn't feel it enhanced your chances.
I've been in a bad road accident and it made no difference to the outcome. I didn't bleed any differently as far as I could tell. As I said to Bob if it hadn't been shown to work in tests I'd have been inclined to believe it didn't work.
Did you have extensive internal bleeding?
No.
I'm on Eliquis and have had several medical procedures and the doctors never ask if I'm on Eliquis and it never makes any difference s far as healing or bleeding. We also have 3 cats with sharp claws and teeth and their accidental scratches always heal just fine with a minimum of bleeding.
I have found that my blood clots a lot less quickly since being on Apixaban. Sometimes if I scratch myself on rose thorns I will notice blood trickling down my arm. That never happened pre Apixaban
When I tried to get some blood for the VitD test I couldn't get enough. I guess some people's blood clots more easily than others.
You are soooo right 😉
I thoroughly agree about language. It has been dumbed down over the years which I find upsetting. I know I am being old fashioned and pedantic but I can just imagine how my old English teachers would react.
Yes Gran...The grammar and pronunciation these days, even by ‘the so called educated’ is absolutely diabolical. Words with the ‘T’s missing off the end of words and all sentences ending with a ‘?’ or ‘!’ ...It seems to me that there’s more effort put into speaking this way, than pronouncing the word properly. It seems to be an absolute ‘standard’ for University goers.
PATHETIC ‼️‼️
What is the difference why some doctors prescribe 5 milligrams of Eliquis and some 2 1/2 mgs? My doctor had both samples at his office.
I believe that people below a certain weight and/or over a certain age are usually prescribed a lower dose of some anticoagulants.
Thanks. Okay, I thought I read if Afib is not controlled, 5 mgs. recommended, and when NSR is long term after procedure to combat Afib successfully, then 2 1/2 mgs. are recommended.
Never heard of that because ablation does not remove stroke risk.
Hi Bob. Just one more question on your response. If a person is converted to NSR from Cardioversion, I believe sometimes the cause of Afib could have been from a one time cause like dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, over exercising, mineral deficiency etc. and not a long term issue. Why would a doctor keep a patient on maximum lifetime Eliquis? I believe I read on Eliquis site that 2 1/2 mgs. could be a maintenance dosage for those that are in otherwise good health after an Afib attack?
Anticoagulation is judged on the CADSVASC score which takes into account various co morbidities such as prior stroke, age, gender (+1 for female) diabetes, high blood pressure and any pre-existing heart disease.
Some people may have a Chadsvasc score of zero and only require anticoagulating for such purposes as cardioversion or ablation. For those people, at present there is no reason to remain on anticoagulation past the recovery period for the procedure.
It is very unusual to find people who have one isolated event unless young binge drinkers who are the usual inhabitants of that group.
If the score dictates anticoagulation based on those co-morbidities then ablation does not remove the stroke risk so anticoagulation would normally be recommended for life at the normal dose.
I can see of no reason based on what I have gathered in the last sixteen years to suggest that a "maintenance dose" is required, other (says the cynic ) than selling more drugs.
Yes, that’s what my EP told me, I am in my 80’s and weigh less than 100 pounds so it is 2.5 for me twice daily.
In the UK so far, we rarely, if ever, see TV adverts for “prescribed” medication and I guess it’s because it’s not directly available to the general public. This forum will never be able to prevent folk from using the term “blood thinners” but it can help the newly diagnosed to understand that anticoagulants do not actually thin the blood therefore the risk of a spontaneous bleed is not as great as they might think. This fear has sometimes discouraged them from taking their anticoagulant medication and from what we hear from the medics is that this could have a disastrous consequences. I take Apixaban (Eliquis) and if I bleed, the blood is no different to what it looked like before I took the medication and it doesn’t take much longer to stem.
That’s the only reason why I always use the term anticoagulant and of course, it’s shorter to type!
The literature insert supplied within the Rivaroxaban box now refers to the anticoagulant as a blood thinner. I despair !!!
😱🤬
Just repeating what the drug company has said. No need for anyone to have hissy fits.
Just trying to explain……no ones having a hissy fit.
Wasn't directed at you. I think the pandemic is wearing on me. And what's going on here in the USA. I realize I've been edgy lately. Think I'll chill out for awhile.
Yep! When we visit the States to see our grandchildren we are amazed at the adverts. At the same time I would never have heard of Cyber Knife either and although seeing umpteen adverts a day for it some years ago in the States was glad I knew the name when I was diagnosed with Cancer as it meant I could research it's use for my Cancer as a possible treatment. So good and bad I suppose from all these things
My belief is that some of the ads like that one you mentioned for the Cyber knife are helpful. But the big pharmas are making lots of money and that money could be used in a better way other than advertising all their meds. They spend up to 40 million a year for ads. That's a lot of money. If they have that kind of money then why are so many meds so expensive that people can't afford them? It to me is wrong. People see these ads and run to the Drs harassing them to put them on some med they may not benefit from. And sadly too many Drs will give in to these people. There's a new med recently approved for Alzheimer's. Aducanumab. Several Drs and others who give a yay or nay on whether a drug should be approved did not want this drug approved. The tests were not showing that the drug was much of a benefit. But the FDA approved it anyway. It was even discussed on TV by Drs who didn't see much benefit from it. Of course no one will hear anymore about that. Even Eliquis had problems during the trials and it almost was not approved. So I guess what I'm saying is big pharma puts profit before safety with a lot of these drugs. And that's not okay.
Have a blessed day.
We agree - drugs shouldn’t be advertised.
I worked for a drug company for a short while & was amazed when trials showed 40% efficacy & everyone thought that outstanding result. That was in the days when Pharmacy companies funded lots of jaunts to tropical islands……. No more said. That at least was stopped.
Yes absolutely. I can't imagine going into a GP's surgery and asking for a particular drug I had seen advertised - just because I had seen it advertised. I would rather get recommendations from places like this type of forum. You are right the money can be better spent elsewhere. Of course the advert for cyber knife was for a particular clinic or Doctor - I don't remember which but it was something we had never heard of at the time.
A few thoughts.Adverts for drugs are a way for the company to sell more, they will use lowest common denominator language to do so. Lots of products do this: reduced sugar often means reduced sucrose with other sugars used instead. I don’t like it but the world seems to love dumbing down. ( don’t get me started on any “ carbon neutral” business that employs people!!
Regarding “ big pharma” I am delighted they exist! small pharma gave us warfarin big pharma apixoban these things are really important life extenders and QOL improvers and guess what any and all medicines are all voluntary … you really do not have to take them. The main reason most people do is they are persuaded that they are much ( much) better than nothing, and in my view much much better than just a few decades ago.
Go hack in time and imagine explaining to your great grandparents that you have cures for so many of the ailments that they knew as incurable .. but you really don’t like the cures or the people that develop them because they have made money from their success..
Sorry for the soapbox!
Steve
Well said, enjoyed your comment. The billions we are about to spend on Climate Change….. it’s a business employing thousands of people.
Hey Bel...It just so happens that I converted to Apixoban, from Warfarin yesterday. It’s a trial really, as far as I’m concerned. I have a lot of leg discolouration and put it down to Warfarin but I’m not sure of that. I can always go back to my previous blood thi...Ooops, anti-coagulant, if my condition doesn’t improve. TAKE CARE X
I've noticed that many U.S.websites use the term Blood thinner when they mean anticoagulants. Here's one of many: medicinenet.com/anticoagula... I am not on blood thinners but am on an anti-coagulant. Soon I have a Nerve Conduction Study and Electromyography. The leaflet which came with the appointment letter states: "Please inform the consultant if you are taking blood thinning medication prior to your test."
Of course I'm not, so I don't tell him I take Warfarin. Or I'll probably say "I'm not taking blood thinning medication, but I do take an anticoagulant which doesn't thin the blood but does delay coagulation". I know that Electromyography can cause compartment bleeding which is a condition which requires "Go straight to A&E", so I will probably tell him I'm on an anticoagulant which doesn't thin the blood.
Yes Thomas...Your point taken but is it of any real significance. I compare it to what a person might say, if they’re going on holiday. They may say “I’m flying to Greece” when in actual fact they’re getting on a plane to Greece. It doesn’t matter a jot, as long as that person gets to Greece. 😉
Sorry I can't see what flying anywhere has got to do with calling an anticoagulant a blood thinner. An anticoagulant does not thin the blood, it delays coagulation. Everyone knows that when you sat "I'm flying" to anywhere, that unless you're a pilot you're not actually flying. They are being told a lie by the medics if they are told an anticoagulant thins the blood.
Perhaps in this instance it is being used as an umbrella term to cover anti aggregates as well? Most people would have very little idea of what an anti aggregate was or the difference between them and anticoagulants. Maybe it might be better to make a long list of the various drugs.
I agree with most views expressed in this thread, (especially about people starting sentences with ''So'').
It's perhaps worth pointing out that here in the UK it is actually illegal to advertise prescription-only drugs on TV so not an issue for us.
I know it's odd. I did not know you could buy these classes of drugs over the counter. Here in Canada we get what is prescribed by a Doctor of medicine via a prescription. We see these ads on American channels, but ignore them, because they all say..."ask your doctor" which suspiciously sounds like "ask yer mom" ..."Mom! I hate Xeralto and want Eliquis! ...mom..." Why sweetie?.....me..."cause the TV advert said so!" 😆 if I were to ask my doctor, his reply would be "oh gawd, like we doctors don't get enough junk mail from those companies already...you will get what I think is appropriate for your condition" 🙂
Whatever you see on tv, doctors get flooded with... pamphlets, "webinars" salesmen, so ya, they don't need patients waltzing in and "informing" or "inquiring"....they know before you do.
I urge you not to be offensive and to mind your own business! Who are you to decide what's all right and what's not!
One thing you can be sure of is that big pharma cares ONLY about money. They care NOTHING about your health, unless of course if it affects their bottom line. I agree; All of theses ridiculous commercials with their 100 or so side effects should be banned!
We all are entitled to our believes , researching what we believe is best for our body is a good way to go , Eliquis is an anticoagulant and antiplatelet drug which are blood thinners.It is important to have good blood flow and as we age are veins and arteries tend to " clog up " like our pipes in our house ! thinner blood flows better and anticoagulant when used at the right dosage works FAR better than Coumadin ( unless you like the Idea of putting rat poison in your body) . And I do agree with you on " Big Pharma and commercials " There are other ways to thin your blood and help your blood flow naturally . And you should discuss this with your doctor . Have confidence in him/ her , if not find someone who you can have confidence in .
I noticed the same thing last time I saw their commercial 
I've used Eliquis for 10 years and now I get mosquito bites the size of quarters and they turn blood red. The mosquitos are far more attracted to me than b4 taking the med, and I used to live in Minnesota! Once I had 17 bites on my right shin and calf after being out for about 15 minutes. It's difficult to go out side to do yard work. I bruise far more easily and I'm also covered in tiny red moles from the med. Lovely. I'm meeting with my cardiologist in a few weeks and we'll discuss getting off Eliquis and/or changing meds.
I posted this a couple of months ago and Tracy from Admin removed it and said I would get an explanation but I have not received one. So for those interested, you may wish to look at this. You need to log in and to do that you need to choose the health professional you would like to be. It is free and anyone can create a log in. The quiz is very informative. You get to guess the answer to each part of the quiz and then the real answer is give with an explanation. As expected more is being learned about how to use these drugs.
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