What is the recommended dose of Eliquis (apixaban) for a patient with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and impaired renal function?

Eliquis (Apixaban) Dosing for DVT

For acute DVT treatment, start apixaban 10 mg orally twice daily for 7 days, then reduce to 5 mg twice daily for the remainder of treatment—no dose adjustment is needed for mild to moderate renal impairment (CrCl ≥15 mL/min). 1, 2

Initial Treatment Phase (First 7 Days)

• Apixaban 10 mg orally twice daily for the first 7 days eliminates the need for initial parenteral anticoagulation (heparin bridging), simplifying treatment compared to warfarin-based regimens 3, 2
• This higher dose during the acute phase provides rapid therapeutic anticoagulation with peak concentration occurring 3-4 hours after administration 4

Continuation Phase (Day 8 Through 3-6 Months)

• Apixaban 5 mg orally twice daily after completing the initial 7-day period for the remainder of the 3-month minimum treatment period 3, 2
• This dosing was proven noninferior to enoxaparin/warfarin in the AMPLIFY trial with significantly lower major bleeding rates 5

Renal Impairment Considerations

Critical point: Unlike atrial fibrillation dosing, VTE treatment doses do NOT require adjustment for renal function unless CrCl <15 mL/min 1

• No dose adjustment needed for mild to moderate renal impairment (CrCl ≥15 mL/min) 1
• Apixaban has only 27% renal elimination, making it more favorable than other DOACs in renal dysfunction 6, 4
• Contraindicated in severe renal impairment (CrCl <15 mL/min) 6
• Do not confuse with atrial fibrillation dosing criteria, which uses age, weight, and creatinine for dose reduction—these criteria do NOT apply to VTE treatment 1

Extended-Phase Anticoagulation (After 6 Months)

For patients requiring extended therapy beyond 6 months:

• Apixaban 2.5 mg twice daily is preferred over continuing 5 mg twice daily for extended-phase anticoagulation 5, 2
• The reduced dose decreases bleeding risk by 10 events per 1,000 cases while adding only 2 more recurrent VTE events per 1,000 cases 3
• Extended anticoagulation is recommended for unprovoked VTE or VTE provoked by persistent risk factors 5
• Stop at 3 months for provoked DVT with transient risk factors (surgery, trauma) rather than continuing extended therapy 5, 3

Special Populations and Contraindications

• Avoid in severe hepatic impairment or any degree of hepatic coagulopathy 6
• Cancer-associated VTE: Same dosing regimen (10 mg twice daily × 7 days, then 5 mg twice daily) with comparable efficacy to dalteparin 6
• No routine laboratory monitoring required, unlike warfarin 3

Critical Drug Interactions

• Reduce dose by 50% when coadministered with combined P-gp and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (ketoconazole, itraconazole, ritonavir) for patients on 5 mg or 10 mg twice daily 2
• Avoid coadministration entirely if patient already on 2.5 mg twice daily 2

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not bridge with parenteral anticoagulation before starting apixaban—the 10 mg twice daily dose is designed for immediate initiation 3, 7
• Do not apply atrial fibrillation dose-reduction criteria (age ≥80, weight ≤60 kg, creatinine ≥1.5 mg/dL) to VTE treatment—these are irrelevant for DVT dosing 1
• Avoid concomitant NSAIDs, antiplatelet agents, or other anticoagulants as these substantially increase bleeding risk 3
• If a dose is missed, take it as soon as possible on the same day but never double the dose 2