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Dabigatran vs. Xarelto

Dabigatran (Pradaxa) is an anticoagulant (blood thinner) used to help prevent and treat blood clots in adults and children. It's approved for certain conditions, including atrial fibrillation (AFib), where it lowers the risk of stroke. The medication comes as oral capsules and oral pellets that you take by mouth once or twice a day, depending on your condition. Common side effects include stomach upset and bleeding. If serious bleeding occurs, another medication called Praxbind (idarucizumab) can quickly reverse its blood-thinning effects.

Adults:

• Lower the risk of stroke and blood clots in certain people with atrial fibrillation (AFib)
• Treat blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) or lungs (pulmonary embolism, PE) - after 5 to 10 days of treatment with an injectable blood thinner
• Lower the risk of DVT and PE from happening again in those who finished treatment
• Prevent DVT or PE after hip replacement surgery

Children (3 months and older):

• Treat blood clots - after 5 days of treatment with an injectable blood thinner
• Lower the risk of blood clots from happening again in those who finished treatment

• Upset stomach
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Bleeding

• Higher risk of blood clots from stopping too early
• Bleeding around the spine (after certain spinal procedures)
• Risk of bleeding
• Not for people with mechanical heart valves
• Interactions with other medications
• Not for people with antiphospholipid syndrome

Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is a prescription blood thinner used to prevent and treat blood clots. It can lower the risk of serious problems like stroke, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or pulmonary embolism (PE). It's comes as a tablet or liquid and is taken by mouth. Your dose depends on why you're taking it, so it could be once or twice a day. The most common side effect is bleeding, which can sometimes be serious or life-threatening. Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is available as both a brand-name and a generic medication.

Adults:

• Lower the risk of stroke and blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation (AFib) not caused by a heart valve problem
• Treat blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis (DVT)) or lungs (pulmonary embolism (PE))
• Lower the risk of DVT or PE coming back after treatment
• Prevent DVT and PE after knee or hip replacement surgery
• Prevent blood clots in people in the hospital or recently released who are at high risk
• Lower the risk of serious heart problems, like heart attack or stroke, in people with coronary artery disease (CAD), taken with aspirin
• Lower the risk of blood clots and related problems in people with peripheral artery disease (PAD), taken with aspirin

Children:

• Treat blood clots and lower the risk of new clots in children from birth to under 18 years old
• Prevent blood clots in children 2 years and older with congenital heart disease (CHD) after a Fontan procedure

Adults

• Any bleeding (Up to 28%)

Children

• Any bleeding (36%)
• Cough (16%)
• Vomiting (14%)
• Stomach virus (13%)
• Rash (9%)

• Higher risk of blood clots if stopped too early
• Paralysis in the spine
• Bleeding
• Interactions with other medications
• Risk of pregnancy-related bleeding
• Not recommended in people with prosthetic heart valves
• Not recommended in people with antiphospholipid syndrome