New oral anticoagulant agents – general features and outcomes in subsets of patients

During the past four years the phase III trials on stroke prophylaxis in atrial fibrillation and on treatment of venous thromboembolism have been completed for four new oral anticoagulants - dabigatran, apixaban, edoxaban and rivaroxaban. The studies have revealed advantages in terms of a reduced risk of bleeding, most importantly of intracranial bleeding. These anticoagulants also have favourable pharmacokinetics, eliminating the need for …