Edoxaban (Savaysa/Lixiana) to Prevent Strokes

Edoxaban (Savaysa®/Lixiana®) is an anticoagulant medication. It is approved for stroke prevention in people with atrial fibrillation.1

Edoxaban was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 study. This international clinical trial of 21,105 people with moderate-to-high-risk atrial fibrillation followed participants for about three years. Half were randomized to edoxaban, either the 30 mg or 60 mg dose, and the other half were randomized to warfarin.

Study results found that participants receiving the higher dose of edoxaban were 21 percent less likely to have a stroke or similar incident than those receiving warfarin. In comparison, those receiving the lower dose had no greater risk of stroke or similar events than those receiving warfarin. Yet, the edoxaban participants had a far lower rate of bleeding (20 percent lower for the higher dose and 53 percent lower for the lower dose) than those receiving warfarin.2

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Recommended Dosage

The recommended edoxaban dose is 60 mg once daily. For those with kidney disease,3 low body weight (less than 60 kg, or 132 pounds), or taking medications such as verapamil, quinidine, or dronedarone, the dose is 30 mg once daily.3,4,5

Since edoxaban is cleared by the kidneys, it is not recommended for those with end-stage kidney disease or on dialysis, and is not approved for some patients with poor kidney function.6

To learn more about who can and cannot take DOACs and what to know if you do, see Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs).

What to Know If You Take Edoxaban

Here are things to know that are specific to taking edoxaban.

  • Edoxaban costs more than warfarin, so you may have a higher out-of-pocket cost.
  • If you need emergency surgery or have severe bleeding, your doctor can use a reversal agent to quickly stop the anti-clotting effects of edoxaban. In May 2018, the FDA approved Andexxa®, the first reversal agent for edoxaban.7
  • See What to Know If You Take a DOAC for things everyone on a DOAC should know, including potential medication and supplement interactions, signs of unusual bleeding, and what to know if you are asked to stop your edoxaban for a procedure or surgery.

To learn more about other anticoagulant medications, see Warfarin (Coumadin), Apixaban (Eliquis), Dabigatran (Pradaxa), or Rivaroxaban (Xarelto).

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