Switching from Edoxaban
This page is for patients taking Edoxaban for Atrial Fibrilation (AF).
Thank you for taking the time to read this page. We want to have a telephone conversation with you in the near future about changing from this medication and it would be helpful if you have read this information in preparation for that call.
Why are we asking for your assistance?
It will come as no surprise to you to learn that NHS resources are squeezed tighter than ever and we, like everyone that works within the NHS, must do everything we can to get the best value for the NHS possible.
One of the medications that you take on a daily basis is called Edoxaban. This drug would have been given to you because you have Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and it helps reduce your risk of stroke. A drug called Apixaban, which is a very similar medication, has recently seen a significant cost reduction.
But it has not been that long since I changed to this…
When Edoxaban was introduced a few years ago it represented the best value for the NHS at the time. This is no longer the case, and alternative preparations could represent as much as a 90% cost saving.
What does this mean in real terms?
To put this into context for you, it could mean saving as much as £4,929,073 across Cheshire & Merseyside alone.
That’s funding that could be redeployed across YOUR part of the country to help to fund essential medical care, treatment and support.
How would I change?
The switch to Apixaban is easy.
The main difference with this medication being that it is taken twice a day, approximately 12 hours apart. It DOES NOT need to be taken with food and is easy to fit around your routine.
You would switch by simply finishing your last Edoxaban tablet on your chosen day (you’d be fine to complete any remaining stocks you had at home to avoid wastage) and then starting the new medication the following day.
If you have swallowing issues, and are used to crushing your Edoxaban, you can still do this with the new medications and mix them with a little water or apple sauce.
How do I let you know if I am happy to switch?
There’s a simple questionnaire to complete within the text message we sent you. If you are happy to change, one of the Practice’s Pharmacists will then be in touch with you for a discussion on the phone. We hope for this to be relatively a quick process and it shouldn’t take too long to get to you once you have submitted your response.
What if I have further questions?
After submitting your response a prescribing pharmacist will phone you and can answer your questions.
I’d like to read up on the medicine beforehand…
The link to the patient leaflet is here:
What if I’m not happy to switch?
We hope we’ve given you reassurance here that the switch really is easy, and you’d be happy to help with our efforts to support your local NHS, but if you are absolutely against the change, you can let us know using the questionnaire in the text message.