{"id":47482,"date":"2021-12-03T09:30:46","date_gmt":"2021-12-03T14:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=47482"},"modified":"2021-12-01T10:55:18","modified_gmt":"2021-12-01T15:55:18","slug":"xarelto-and-alcohol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/xarelto-and-alcohol\/","title":{"rendered":"What happens when you mix Xarelto and alcohol?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re tempted to have a few drinks at your next social event, whether it\u2019s a birthday party, wedding, or a regular night out with friends, you might want to reconsider drinking alcohol if you\u2019re also taking Xarelto. Xarelto is a prescription <\/span>blood thinner<\/span><\/a> used to treat and prevent blood clots. You might be prescribed Xarelto to prevent a blood clot in a deep vein, otherwise known as <\/span>deep vein thrombosis<\/span><\/a> or DVT. If left untreated, deep vein thrombosis can lead to a piece of the blood clot breaking off and blocking blood flow in the lungs (also called a pulmonary embolism or PE).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol is a substance that can also affect the blood-clotting process. When taken together, alcohol and Xarelto can potentially cause bleeding problems. While drinking <\/span>alcohol in moderation<\/span><\/a> is unlikely to cause significant harm with Xarelto, you should talk to your doctor about your specific bleeding risks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Continue reading to learn more about what happens when you mix Xarelto and alcohol.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What is Xarelto?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Xarelto<\/a><\/p>\n

Can you take Xarelto with alcohol?<\/span><\/h2>\n

To understand whether you can take Xarelto together with alcohol, it\u2019s important to understand how the drug works. Xarelto, also known by its generic name rivaroxaban, is a <\/span>factor Xa inhibitor<\/span><\/a>. It treats blood clots by blocking factor Xa, a vital protein involved with the formation of blood clots.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alcohol, or ethanol, is a substance that is found in beer, wine, and liquor. Clinical studies have shown that alcohol can also thin the blood by reducing levels of fibrinogen, another protein involved with blood clotting. One study found that high levels of alcohol consumption, or around two to three drinks per day, reduced fibrinogen levels by <\/span>14%<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The FDA label of Xarelto does not explicitly mention any drug interactions between Xarelto and alcohol. However, both Xarelto and alcohol act as blood thinners, and it can be dangerous to combine a drug and a substance that have similar effects. The side effects of Xarelto and alcohol include <\/span>bleeding problems<\/span><\/a>, which can cause symptoms like:<\/span><\/p>\n