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AFib FAQs
Frequently asked questions about AFib

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AFib FAQs

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What is the biggest health risk from having AFib?

Having a stroke is the greatest risk related to atrial fibrillation (AFib). In fact, people with AFib are 5 times more likely to have a stroke than someone who doesn't have AFib. Talk to your doctor about other health risks of having AFib.

Can I exercise or have sex if I have AFib?

You can continue your normal daily activities as long as your doctor says it's okay. It's important to talk with your doctor to determine what activities are appropriate for you.

Can I tell when I am about to have an episode of AFib?

Usually, you won't know in advance. However, over time, you may learn the things that sometimes trigger an episode of AFib for you. Triggers vary from person to person, but common ones include caffeine, alcohol, certain kinds of exercise, and stress.

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Important Safety Information

Indication

SAVAYSA® (edoxaban) is a prescription medicine used to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people who have atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem. Based on how well your kidneys work, SAVAYSA may not be a treatment option for you. Your doctor should check your kidney function before starting treatment.

SAVAYSA® is a prescription medicine used to treat blood clots in the veins of your legs (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism), after you have been treated with an injectable blood thinner medicine for 5 to 10 days.

What is the most important information I should know about SAVAYSA?

  • People with atrial fibrillation are at an increased risk of forming a blood clot in the heart, which can travel to the brain, causing a stroke, or to other parts of the body. SAVAYSA lowers your chance of having a stroke by helping to prevent clots from forming.

    Your doctor should check your kidney function before you start taking SAVAYSA. People whose kidneys work really well should not receive SAVAYSA because it may not work as well as other medications to prevent stroke.

    Do not stop taking SAVAYSA without first talking to the doctor who prescribed it for you. Stopping SAVAYSA increases your risk of having a stroke.

  • SAVAYSA can cause bleeding which can be serious, and sometimes lead to death. This is because SAVAYSA is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting. While taking SAVAYSA you may bruise more easily and bleeding may take longer to stop. You should call your doctor or get medical help right away if you experience bleeding that is severe (for example, coughing up or vomiting blood) or bleeding that cannot be controlled.

    You may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take SAVAYSA and take other medicines that increase your risk of bleeding, including: aspirin, long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), blood thinners (warfarin, heparin, or other medicines to prevent or treat blood clots), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Tell your doctor if you take any of these medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if your medicine is one listed above.

  • SAVAYSA is not for people with mechanical heart valves or people who have moderate-to-severe narrowing (stenosis) of their mitral valve.

  • SAVAYSA is not for use in people with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), especially with positive triple antibody testing, who have a history of blood clots.

  • Spinal or epidural blood clots (hematoma). People who take a blood thinner medicine (anticoagulant) like SAVAYSA, and have medicine injected into their spinal and epidural area, or have a spinal puncture have a risk of forming a blood clot that can cause long-term or permanent loss of the ability to move (paralysis). Your risk of developing a spinal or epidural blood clot is higher if: a thin tube called an epidural catheter is placed in your back to give you certain medicine, you take NSAIDs or a medicine to prevent blood from clotting, you have a history of difficult or repeated epidural or spinal punctures, and you have a history of problems with your spine or have had surgery on your spine.

    If you take SAVAYSA and receive spinal anesthesia or have a spinal puncture, your doctor should watch you closely for symptoms of spinal or epidural blood clots. Tell your doctor right away if you have back pain, tingling, numbness (especially in your legs and feet), muscle weakness, loss of control of the bowels or bladder (incontinence).

Who should not take SAVAYSA?

Do not take SAVAYSA if you currently have certain types of abnormal bleeding.

What should I tell my doctor before taking SAVAYSA?

  • Before you take SAVAYSA, tell your doctor if you: have liver or kidney problems, have antiphospholipid syndrome, have ever had bleeding problems, have a mechanical heart valve, have cancer of the stomach or intestine (gastrointestinal cancer), are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

    • It is not known if SAVAYSA will harm your unborn baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment with SAVAYSA
    • It is not known if SAVAYSA passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take SAVAYSA or breastfeed. Do not breastfeed during treatment with SAVAYSA
  • Tell all of your doctors and dentists that you are taking SAVAYSA. They should talk to the doctor who prescribed SAVAYSA for you, before you have any surgery, medical or dental procedure. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some of your other medicines may affect the way SAVAYSA works. Certain medicines may increase your risk of bleeding or stroke when taken with SAVAYSA.

How should I take SAVAYSA?

  • Take SAVAYSA exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will decide how long you should take SAVAYSA. Do not change your dose or stop taking SAVAYSA unless your doctor tells you to. You can take SAVAYSA with or without food. If you miss a dose of SAVAYSA, take it as soon as you remember on the same day, and do not take more than one dose at the same time. Take your next dose at your usual time the next day. Do not run out of SAVAYSA. Refill your prescription before you run out.

  • If you take too much SAVAYSA, go to the nearest hospital emergency room or call your doctor right away. Call your doctor right away if you fall or injure yourself, especially if you hit your head. Your doctor may need to check you.

What are the possible side effects of SAVAYSA?

Common side effects in people who take SAVAYSA include, bleeding and low red blood cell count (anemia). Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see the U.S. Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.

Savings Card Terms & Conditions

SAVAYSA®(edoxaban) Savings Card: Eligibility Criteria and Terms & Conditions

Eligibility Criteria: Residents of US or Puerto Rico, 18 years of age or older, with valid prescription for SAVAYSA. Not valid if enrolled in state or federally funded prescription benefit program (eg, Medicare Part D/Medicaid) or if prohibited by law.

Terms & Conditions: For patients with commercial insurance, or patients without insurance, this savings card is applied after the following out-of-pocket expenses are met: $4 for a 30-day prescription or $12 for a 90-day prescription. This card is not insurance and does not cover deductibles. The maximum benefit is $270 per 30-day prescription or $810 per 90-day prescription. This offer is not conditioned on any past, present, or future purchases, including refills. Patients, pharmacists, and prescribers cannot seek reimbursement from health insurance or any third party for any part of the benefit received by patients through this offer.

If your pharmacy does not accept the SAVAYSA Savings Card, visit www.patientrebateonline.com for instructions on how to obtain the savings benefit. This is not insurance. By using this card, you certify you meet the Eligibility Criteria and Terms & Conditions.

Pharmacist and Patient Questions: Call (877) 264-2440 (8 AM-8 PM ET, Monday-Friday).

Pharmacist Conditions: By using this card, you certify that the Eligibility Criteria are met. Submit transaction to McKesson Corp, using BIN #610524. If primary coverage exists, input card information as secondary coverage and transmit using COB segment of NCPDP transaction. Applicable discounts will be displayed in the transaction response. Acceptance of this card and your submission of claims for the SAVAYSA Savings Card program are subject to SAVAYSA Savings Card program Terms & Conditions posted at www.mckesson.com/mprstnc. The SAVAYSA Savings Card is not valid for use with any other prescription drug discount or cash cards for SAVAYSA. Claims submitted utilizing the program are subject to audit or validation.

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., reserves the right to rescind, revoke, or amend this program, at any time, without notice.