The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted apixaban (Eliquis®) for use within NHS Scotland for the prevention of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) in adult patients who have undergone elective hip or knee replacement surgery.

The drug advice (see link below) discusses the clinical and cost-effectiveness data considered.  This states that in two large phase III double-blind comparative studies including patients undergoing elective hip or knee replacement surgery, apixaban was superior to a low molecular weight heparin for the incidence of VTE and all cause death whilst incidence of major bleeding events was similar between groups.