Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."
Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."
Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI
“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.
Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017
“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD
New FAQ: Risks of Xarelto and 3 Alternatives to Anticoagulants
We’ve posted a new FAQ and answer about the risks of anticoagulants and three alternatives to taking them.
“I have A-Fib, and my heart doctor wants me to take Xarelto 15 mg. I am concerned about the side effects which can involve death. What else can I do?”
You are right to be concerned about the side effects of Xarelto, one of the new Novel Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs). Uncontrolled bleeding is the primary risk (patients have bled to death in the ER.) Now both Xarelto (rivaroxaban) and Eliquis (apixaban) have the FDA-approved reversal agent Andexxa (Portola Pharmaceuticals) as of May 7, 2018.
All anticoagulants are inherently dangerous. You bruise easily, cuts take a long time to stop bleeding, you can’t participate in any contact sports; there is an increased risk of developing a hemorrhagic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding. (Most EPs are well aware of the risks of life-long anticoagulation.)
Anticoagulants cause or increase bleeding. That’s how they work. To decrease your risk of blood clots and stroke, they hinder the clotting ability of your blood. But, they also increase your risk of bleeding. But in spite of the possible negative effects of anticoagulants, if you have A-Fib and a real risk of stroke, anticoagulants do work.
What Else Can You Do? Remove the Reason for an Anticoagulant—Three Options
The best way to deal with the increased risk of stroke and side effects of anticoagulants is to no longer need them. Here are three options…<…continue… to read my full answer…>
