Proper Use
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.
This medicine should come with a Medication Guide and patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
The 2.5 and 10 mg tablets can be taken with or without food. The 15 and 20 mg tablets should be taken with food. Also, take this medicine at the same time each day.
If you are unable to swallow the tablets whole:
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The 10 mg, 15 mg, or 20 mg tablets may be crushed and mixed with a small amount of applesauce. This must be taken right away followed by food.
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If you are using a nasogastric tube or gastric feeding tube: The 10 mg, 15 mg, or 20 mg tablets may be crushed and mixed in 50 milliliters (mL) of water before giving it via the tube. This must be followed by enteral feeding.
If your child is unable to swallow the tablets whole, you may use the oral liquid.
To use the oral liquid:
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Shake the bottle slowly for 10 seconds before each use.
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Measure the medicine with the provided oral dosing syringe.
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Ask your doctor if you should take it with or without food.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
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For oral dosage form (tablets):
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For prevention of deep venous thrombosis (hip replacement surgery):
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Adults—10 milligrams (mg) once a day for 35 days. The starting dose should be taken at least 6 to 10 hours after surgery.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of deep venous thrombosis (knee replacement surgery):
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Adults—10 milligrams (mg) once a day for 12 days. The starting dose should be taken at least 6 to 10 hours after surgery.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of reoccurring deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism:
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Adults—10 milligrams (mg) once a day with or without food after at least 6 months of treatment with a blood thinner medicine.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of heart attack, stroke, and serious heart problems in patients with coronary artery disease:
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Adults—2.5 milligrams (mg) 2 times a day together with aspirin (75 to 100 mg once a day), taken with or without food.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of sudden decrease in blood flow to the legs, major amputation, heart attack, and stroke in patients with peripheral artery disease:
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Adults—2.5 milligrams (mg) 2 times a day together with aspirin (75 to 100 mg once a day), taken with or without food.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of stroke and blood clots in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation:
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Adults—15 or 20 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken with the evening meal.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of blood clots in people who are hospitalized for an acute illness:
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Adults—10 milligrams (mg) once a day in hospital and after hospital discharge for a total recommended duration of 31 to 39 days, taken with or without food.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For treatment of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism:
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Adults—At first, 15 milligrams (mg) 2 times a day, taken with food for the first 21 days. Then, your doctor may give you 20 mg once a day, taken at the same time each day with food.
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Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism:
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Children 6 months of age and older weighing 30 kilograms (kg) or more—Dose is base on weight and must be determined by your doctor.
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Weighing 50 kilograms (kg) or more—20 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 30 kg to 49.9 kg—15 mg once a day, taken with food.
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Children 6 months of age and older weighing less than 30 kg—Use the oral suspension.
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Children younger than 6 months of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of blood clots in patients with congenital heart disease after Fontan procedure:
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Children 2 years of age and older weighing 50 kilograms (kg) or more—Dose is base on weight and must be determined by your doctor. The dose usually 10 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken with or without food.
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Children 2 years of age and older weighing less than 50 kg—Use the oral suspension.
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Children younger than 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For oral dosage form (suspension):
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For treatment and prevention of venous thromboembolism:
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Children 6 months of age and older—Dose is base on weight and must be determined by your doctor.
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Weighing 50 kilograms (kg) or more—20 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 30 kg to 49.9 kg—15 mg once a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 12 kg to 29.9 kg—5 mg 2 times a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 10 kg to 11.9 kg—3 mg 3 times a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 9 kg to 9.9 kg—2.8 mg 3 times a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 8 kg to 8.9 kg—2.4 mg 3 times a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 7 kg to 7.9 kg—1.8 mg 3 times a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 5 kg to 6.9 kg—1.6 mg 3 times a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 4 kg to 4.9 kg—1.4 mg 3 times a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 3 kg to 3.9 kg—0.9 mg 3 times a day, taken with food.
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Weighing 2.6 kg to 2.9 kg—0.8 mg 3 times a day, taken with food.
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Children younger than 6 months of age and weighing less than 2.6 kg—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
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For prevention of blood clots in patients with congenital heart disease after Fontan procedure:
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Children 2 years of age and older—Dose is base on weight and must be determined by your doctor.
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Weighing 50 kilograms (kg) or more—10 milligrams (mg) once a day, taken with or without food.
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Weighing 30 kg to 49.9 kg—7.5 mg once a day, taken with or without food.
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Weighing 20 kg to 29.9 kg—2.5 mg 2 times a day, taken with or without food.
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Weighing 12 kg to 19.9 kg—2 mg 2 times a day, taken with or without food.
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Weighing 10 kg to 11.9 kg—1.7 mg 2 times a day, taken with or without food.
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Weighing 8 kg to 9.9 kg—1.6 mg 2 times a day, taken with or without food.
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Weighing 7 kg to 7.9 kg—1.1 mg 2 times a day, taken with or without food.
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Children younger than 2 years of age of age and weighing less than 7 kg—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Missed Dose
This medicine needs to be given on a fixed schedule. If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.
Once-daily dosing: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can on the same day. Then take your regularly scheduled dose the next day.
Twice-daily dosing to prevent serious heart or blood vessel problems (2.5 mg tablet): If you miss a dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at your usual time.
Twice-daily dosing to treat a blood clot (oral liquid or 15 mg tablet): If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can on the same day. You may take 2 doses at the same time to make up for the missed dose. Then take your regularly scheduled doses the next day.
Thrice-daily dosing: If you miss a dose, skip the missed dose, then take your regularly scheduled doses the next day.
Oral liquid: If your child vomits or spits up right after or within 30 minutes after taking the medicine, give another dose. If it is more than 30 minutes, give the next dose at the regular time. Call your doctor right away if your child vomits or spits out the medicine repeatedly.
Storage
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
You may store the crushed tablet with applesauce or water mixture for up to 4 hours.
Throw away the oral liquid 60 days after opening.
Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024
Copyright: © Merative US L.P. 1973, 2024. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.