@ruth36 I can only answer for myself: I have a history of incipient hypertension, now gone, and a history of atrial fibrillation. For AF sufferers, the risk of a stroke rises above 'normal' for any given age and the average person, five (5) times. This is due to poor blood flow in the left atrial appendage. This is well studied, and well-established, so the protocol is AF patients are strongly urged to take a DOAC (direct-acting oral anti-coagulant) such as apixaban (Eliquis), rivaroxaban (Xarelto) or dabigatran (Pradaxa).

I have had what I thought were reasoned arguments with two physicians about a for-life prescription for Eliquis in that my CHA2DS2-VASc score is only 1, my arteries have only minor deposits, confirmed via angiogram and Doppler ultrasound, and my AF is in 'remission' now nearly three years after a successful catheter ablation. Each time, they tell me my risk is still high, despite all my evidence (that they themselves have presented to me), but mostly because my cholesterol is high...now supressed well via 40 mg of atorvastatin nightly.

A lot of this depends on two factors: your health, comprehensively assessed for all risks, and what the doctors advising you have in the way of both learning and experience...well, the same-same, really. What they don't want is to have missed something, or to have understated your risks and then learned that they ought to have been even more aggressive about your treatment. So, whatever it is you have been prescribed, unless you can present detailed information that counters what they understand about your risks for a stroke, you should probably consider either asking if they'd agree to a substitute that is easier on you, and on your budget, or just doing as millions do....keep taking the drug.