Atrial fibrillation

[Millican]

Being asked to change from Warfarin to Edoxaban. Has anyone any views on whether to.It's

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It is to save the NHS the monitoring of Warfarin I imagine. I have a/f and was previously on a warfarin look-alike which was monitored monthly but it stopped working properly - my INR swung about all over the place and it was impossible to adjust the dose.

I was switched to Pradaxa - I was offered the choice, did I want 1x or 2x daily. I chose 2x daily on the grounds if I needed to stop for surgery or an accident them it would be out of my system faster and as an added plus there was an antidote - also important it you were to need emergency surgery or in an accident. This was some years ago - I think there are antidotes for most now.

What is important is to know if you are on any medication that shouldn't be taken at the same time - or just separate taking it from all other medications. It is a problem for me, another heart drug to be taken 3x daily and the 2x daily Pradaxa must be taken at least 2 hours apart so I have something to take five times a day! A dosette box and alarms on my phone solve that. The problem would be that taken together the level of the anticoagulant drug in the blood could rise and you might bleed/bruise more.

I don't have any problems now I'm on the right (lower) dose and the tablets are separated. Overall it is easier than having the INR done regularly - but here they do do it regular as clockwork every month!

[piglette]

Edoxaban does have fewer drug interactions, also it is a newer drug than Warfarin. Don’t take St John’s Wort though.

nhs.uk/medicines/edoxaban/t...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Most things are newer than warfarin! Same age as pred ...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

It’s like most things are newer than I am!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Must be borderline - they were approved for use in 1954!!

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

Peter Pan has nothing on me!

[GrandmaPirate]

I am on Edoxaban since more than 5 years after cryoablation after AFib. No side effects and less monitoring.

[Broseley]

I asked to be put on apixaban as I know from my mum's experience on warfarin the chore of fortnightly blood tests. Indeed I got my mum changed to apixaban as well. It's so much easier, and I've never had any issues with it.