From the Guidelines
Eliquis (apixaban) does not increase the risk of ARIA (Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities), which is a side effect specifically associated with certain Alzheimer's disease treatments, not with blood thinners like Eliquis. The provided evidence 1 discusses the efficacy and safety of apixaban in preventing stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation, comparing it to warfarin and aspirin. Key points from the study include:
- Apixaban was superior to warfarin in preventing stroke and systemic embolism and produced less bleeding.
- The rates of ischemic stroke were similar with apixaban and warfarin.
- All-cause mortality was lower with apixaban than with warfarin. However, this study does not mention ARIA as a potential side effect of apixaban, which is consistent with the fact that ARIA is associated with amyloid-targeting therapies for Alzheimer's disease, not anticoagulants like Eliquis. If you're taking Eliquis and concerned about brain-related side effects, the relevant risk would be intracranial hemorrhage, which is different from ARIA and occurs in less than 1% of patients taking the medication as prescribed, as seen in the ARISTOTLE trial where the rate of hemorrhagic stroke was 0.24% per year with apixaban 1.
From the Research
Eliquis and Aria Risk
- The studies provided do not directly address the question of whether Eliquis (apixaban) increases the risk of atrial fibrillation (aria) [ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ].
- However, the studies do discuss the use of apixaban for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, suggesting that apixaban is used to treat patients with existing atrial fibrillation [ 2, 3 ].
- The studies compare the effectiveness and safety of apixaban with other anticoagulants, such as warfarin, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban, in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation [ 4, 5, 6 ].
- The results of these studies suggest that apixaban is a safe and effective alternative to other anticoagulants for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, with a lower risk of major bleeding compared to some other anticoagulants [ 4, 5, 6 ].
Key Findings
- Apixaban is effective in preventing stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation [ 2, 3 ].
- Apixaban has a lower risk of major bleeding compared to some other anticoagulants, such as dabigatran and rivaroxaban [ 4, 5, 6 ].
- Apixaban is associated with a lower risk of intracranial bleeding and gastrointestinal bleeding compared to some other anticoagulants [ 4, 5, 6 ].