Xarelto (rivaroxaban) Pros and Cons
- Xarelto can effectively lower the risk of blood clots, stroke, heart attack, acute limb ischemia, and major amputation.
- Unlike other anticoagulants such as warfarin, you don’t need to have regular blood tests while taking Xarelto.
- Xarelto has fewer interactions with food compared to anticoagulants like warfarin.
- Xarelto is less likely to cause life-threatening or fatal bleeding problems compared to anticoagulants like warfarin.
- You may need to take Xarelto twice a day. Other blood thinners like warfarin only need to be taken once a day.
- Taking Xarelto increases your bleeding risk.
- People with heart valve problems or prosthetic heart valves can’t take Xarelto.
- It is more difficult to reverse the effects of Xarelto in an emergency compared to anticoagulants like warfarin.
- Xarelto is an expensive medication, and a low-cost generic version is not yet available.
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