Apixaban Outperforms Warfarin in Reducing Home Time Loss for Older Adults Following Serious Blood Clots

Study of 18,000 Medicare users shows apixaban reduces hospital time and bleeding risks compared to warfarin for patients with venous thromboembolism.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 6:02 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research

Evaluating Anticoagulant Efficacy Through a Patient-Centered Lens

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, remains a significant health risk for the aging population, often leading to increased mortality and a loss of personal independence. Traditional clinical trials frequently underrepresent frail older adults, leaving a gap in real-world evidence for long-term anticoagulant therapy. To address this, researchers from the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research analyzed Medicare claims data from 2015 to 2019 for over 18,000 beneficiaries. The study moved beyond standard clinical metrics by focusing on "home time," a patient-centered measure of how many days individuals spend in their own residences versus medical facilities.

Comparative Success of Apixaban Over Traditional Therapy

The investigation revealed that apixaban, commercially known as Eliquis, provided a more favorable balance of safety and effectiveness compared to the long-standing standard, warfarin. Patients treated with apixaban experienced a significantly lower combined risk of recurrent blood clots or death within one year of their initial event. Furthermore, the data indicated that those on apixaban were less likely to suffer from major bleeding episodes, a primary concern for clinicians managing older patients on blood thinners. According to the research team, these clinical benefits translated directly into more functional time spent away from the healthcare system.

Quantifying the Preservation of Home Time

One of the study's most notable findings was the reduction in "home time loss," which accounts for days spent in emergency departments, acute care hospitals, or skilled nursing facilities. Beneficiaries taking apixaban averaged 54.9 days of home time loss per year, compared to 67.0 days for those on warfarin. This difference underscores apixaban’s ability to prevent the complications that typically derail recovery and lead to institutionalization. While the benefits were most pronounced in non-frail patients, the directional trend toward improved home time was consistent across all examined levels of physical resilience.