Can You Crush Eliquis?

In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses the safety of crushing Eliquis.

Question

I was just discharged on Eliquis. Can I crush these and take them that way?

Asked by Shannon On Jun 11, 2022

Answered by
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist Staff

Published Jun 11, 2022
Last updated Mar 28, 2024

Key points

  • Eliquis can be safely crushed and mixed with water, apple juice, or applesauce.
  • Once crushed Eliquis powder has been mixed, it should be taken within 4 hours.

Thanks for reaching out to us!

It's always a good idea to reach out to a pharmacist or another health care professional regarding whether or not it is safe to crush/split your medication.

For some drugs, it's perfectly fine, for others, doing so could potentially ruin the release mechanism, causing them to be either ineffective, dangerous, or both.

Crushing Eliquis

As it concerns Eliquis (apixaban), it can safely be crushed and mixed with certain liquids and foods before taking.

In fact, the FDA prescribing information for the drug states this specifically, which is nice to have, since many other package inserts for drugs don't discuss the safety of crushing one way or the other.

Per the prescribing information:

For patients who are unable to swallow whole tablets, 5 mg and 2.5 mg ELIQUIS tablets may be crushed and suspended in water, 5% dextrose in water (D5W), or apple juice, or mixed with applesauce and promptly administered orally. Alternatively, ELIQUIS tablets may be crushed and suspended in 60 mL of water or D5W and promptly delivered through a nasogastric tube. Crushed ELIQUIS tablets are stable in water, D5W, apple juice, and applesauce for up to 4 hours.

It is important to know that if you do crush Eliquis and intend to take your dose that way, it should be taken within 4 hours (as stated above), and not stored for later use.

Final Words

Thanks again for your question!

We always appreciate our readers reaching out!

References

About the Pharmacist

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD

Dr. Brian has been practicing pharmacy for over 13 years and has wide-ranging experiences in many different areas of the profession. From retail, clinical, program development, and administrative responsibilities, he's your knowledgeable and go-to source for all your pharmacy and medication-related questions! Dr. Brian Staiger also has herbalist training and educational certificates in the field of medical ethnobotany. Feel free to send him an email at [email protected]! You can also connect with Dr. Brian Staiger on LinkedIn.

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