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apixaban Side Effects

Also known as: Eliquis

Analysis of 62,650 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2005 to 2025.

Total Reports

62,650

Death-Related

6,759

10.8% of reports

Hospitalizations

27,509

43.9% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
3,970
DYSPNOEA
3,598
CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT
3,508
THROMBOSIS
2,806
OFF LABEL USE
2,693
CARDIAC DISORDER
2,509
DEATH
2,332
FALL
2,287
FATIGUE
2,193
DIZZINESS
1,929
ANAEMIA
1,910
DIARRHOEA
1,768
NAUSEA
1,679
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY
1,673
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
1,636
HEADACHE
1,591
COVID-19
1,555
PULMONARY EMBOLISM
1,542
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE
1,535
DRUG INTERACTION
1,524

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 27,064 (47%)
Male 30,594 (53%)
Unknown 20

Age Distribution

0-17 457 (1%)
18-44 1,817 (4%)
45-64 8,208 (19%)
65-74 12,224 (28%)
75+ 21,179 (48%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2005 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 6,759 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 2,331
PNEUMONIA 296
FALL 280
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 276
DYSPNOEA 268
CEREBRAL HAEMORRHAGE 262
CARDIAC FAILURE 247
OFF LABEL USE 247
CARDIAC ARREST 214
ANAEMIA 192
COMPLETED SUICIDE 190
SEPSIS 188
SEPTIC SHOCK 188
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE 176
HAEMORRHAGE INTRACRANIAL 172
HYPOTENSION 170
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 161
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 148
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 147
CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT 140

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 27,509 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
DYSPNOEA 2,426
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION 1,760
ANAEMIA 1,600
FALL 1,576
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 1,394
OFF LABEL USE 1,338
FATIGUE 1,167
DIZZINESS 1,098
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE 1,048
PNEUMONIA 1,047
HYPOTENSION 1,042
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 1,021
DIARRHOEA 1,019
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 912
NAUSEA 904
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 837
CARDIAC FAILURE 818
DRUG INTERACTION 801
PYREXIA 800
VOMITING 778

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About apixaban Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 62,650 voluntary reports linked to apixaban and its brand equivalents (Eliquis), spanning 2005 through 2025. Of those, 6,759 (10.8%) listed death as an outcome and 27,509 (43.9%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Product Used For Unknown Indication.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 47% were female and 53% male; age distribution skews toward 75+, with 21,179 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is atrial fibrillation with 3,970 submissions, followed by dyspnoea and cerebrovascular accident.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.