No checks

[KIPGIB]

On Warfarin for over 7 years but had trouble with bloods all over the place so GP prescribed Rivaroxoban.All good now but no GP REVIEWS at all in the 3 years.How does anyone know if everythings ok.????

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It may feel ridiculously casual after being on warfarin for so long, with all that that entails by way of checks, tests and restrictions, but the new NOAC anticoagulants, of which Rivaroxaban is one, just quietly do their job with no need for monitoring. All that's needed is to have a routine blood test for kidney function, liver function and a full blood count prior to commencing the drug and the same test annually, thereafter. The proof of the pudding is said to be in the eating and in the case of NOACs this can be said to be the evidence that they stop an awful lot of strokes. In the event of an unexpected bleed, then of course the patient should take action to get medical help, but otherwise what's most important is just good adherence to dose and so long as that's assured, nothing else is required.

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As Callendersgal says, you don't need regular checks on rivaroxaban! You do need - and will be offered - an annual blood test (assuming the test tubes are available, which they are not at the moment) for liver and kidney function, but that is all. No faffing about with weekly INR tests like you have on warfarin. As long as you take rivaroxaban with food (if you don't, you'll get terrible indigestion!), you probably won't know you're on it!