Apixaban
Brand names: Eliquis
Part of: Blood thinners
At a glance
- Medicare prescriptions, 2024
- 22,680,817
- Medicare drug cost
- $19.60B
- Average cost per prescription
- $864
- Clinicians who prescribed it
- 259,894
Where it is prescribed
List the prescribers in any state, county, city or ZIP code →
What it is used for
ELIQUIS is a factor Xa inhibitor indicated: • to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in adult patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. • for the prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which may lead to pulmonary embolism (PE), in adult patients who have undergone hip or knee replacement surgery. • for the treatment of DVT and PE, and for the reduction in the risk of recurrent DVT and PE in adult patients following initial therapy. • Treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and reduction in the risk of recurrent VTE in pediatric patients from birth and older after at least 5 days of initial anticoagulant treatment.
From the FDA-approved prescribing information (label dated April 2026). Full labels on DailyMed (opens in a new tab)
Boxed warning
WARNING: (A) PREMATURE DISCONTINUATION OF ELIQUIS INCREASES THE RISK OF THROMBOTIC EVENTS (B) SPINAL/EPIDURAL HEMATOMA (A) PREMATURE DISCONTINUATION OF ELIQUIS INCREASES THE RISK OF THROMBOTIC EVENTS Premature discontinuation of any oral anticoagulant, including ELIQUIS, increases the risk of thrombotic events. If anticoagulation with ELIQUIS is discontinued for a reason other than pathological bleeding or completion of a course of therapy, consider coverage with another anticoagulant. (B) SPINAL/EPIDURAL HEMATOMA Epidural or spinal hematomas may occur in patients treated with ELIQUIS who are receiving neuraxial anesthesia or undergoing spinal puncture. These hematomas may result in long-term or permanent paralysis. Consider these risks when scheduling patients for spinal procedures. Factors that can increase the risk of developing epidural or spinal hematomas in these patients include:…
The FDA’s strongest warning on a label. It doesn’t mean the drug is unsafe for most people; talk to your doctor or pharmacist before stopping or changing any medicine.
Who prescribes it
- Internal Medicine 21.0%
- Family Medicine 19.9%
- Cardiology 18.4%
- Nurse Practitioners 16.3%
- Interventional Cardiology 5.8%
- Physician Assistants 5.2%
- Cardiac Electrophysiology 3.7%
- Geriatric Medicine 2.1%
- Hematology & Oncology 1.7%
- Hospitalist 1.1%
- General Practice 0.9%
- Medical Oncology 0.5%
All prescribers, by place, name or specialty →
Share of Medicare prescriptions written by each specialty. Select one to list its prescribers.
Trend, 2019–2024
Medicare prescriptions rose 98% from 2019 to 2024.
Biggest change by state since 2019
- Minnesota +189%
- Wisconsin +161%
- North Dakota +150%
- New Hampshire +146%
- Puerto Rico +142%
- Louisiana (smallest change) +73%
- Oklahoma (smallest change) +77%
From CMS’s yearly state and national Part D summaries, which count every prescriber, including those CMS leaves out of its per-clinician data (fewer than 11 prescriptions). That is why these totals are higher than the count at the top of this page. Prescriptions include refills.
What it looks like
Pills from 5 makers on file. The same medicine can look different depending on who made it, so check the imprint (the letters and numbers on the pill) with your pharmacist if a refill looks different.
Amneal Pharmaceuticals of New York LLC
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mg | yellow round tablet, 6 mm | M 2 5 |
| 5 mg | pink oval tablet, 10 mm | M 5 |
Aphena Pharma Solutions - Tennessee, LLC
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | pink oval tablet, 10 mm | 894 5 |
Cardinal Health 107, LLC
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mg | yellow round tablet, 6 mm | 893 2 1 2 |
| 5 mg | pink oval tablet, 10 mm | 894 5 |
E.r. Squibb & Sons, L.l.c.
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mg | yellow round tablet, 6 mm | 893 2 1 2 |
| 5 mg | pink oval tablet, 10 mm | 894 5 |
Remedyrepack Inc.
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | pink oval tablet, 10 mm | 894 5 |
Source: DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), from each maker’s FDA drug listing. A few makers are shown, not every one. Never take a pill you can’t identify; ask a pharmacist.
Industry payments about this drug
Drug makers reported $2.3M in payments to clinicians that named this drug in 2025 (meals, speaking, consulting and similar).
- Pfizer Inc. $1.8M
- E.r. Squibb & Sons, L.l.c. $494,989
- Pbg Puerto Rico LLC $14,920
- Celgene Corporation $528
Source: CMS Open Payments, general payments (not research), program year 2025. A payment is not evidence of wrongdoing. Payments by doctor
Recalls and shortages
Not on the FDA drug shortage list.
No FDA-reported recalls since 2020.
Sources: CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers by Provider and Drug (2024; prescriptions include refills, and CMS hides counts under 11 per prescriber); U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA (drug labels, NDC directory, enforcement reports, drug shortages); CMS Open Payments 2025; ClinicalTrials.gov. General information only, not medical advice; not yet reviewed by our medical reviewer.