Dabigatran and other new oral anticoagulants represent an alternative to vitamin K antagonists for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation without the burden of laboratory control.
How should dabigatran and other new oral anticoagulants be used for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation compared to vitamin K antagonists?
This report provides expert consensus answers to practical clinical questions regarding the use of new oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.
Dabigatran and other new oral anticoagulants (OAC) represent a step forward in stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). They indeed have been shown to be an alternative to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) without the burden of laboratory control. However, these new drugs compete with an effective and well-established therapy, thus bringing about a series of questions and doubts. In this report members of the board of the Italian Federation of Thrombosis Centers (FCSA) answer some questions every clinician might be confronted with.
Crippa et al. (Sat,) conducted a review in Atrial fibrillation. Dabigatran and other new oral anticoagulants vs. Vitamin K antagonists was evaluated. Dabigatran and other new oral anticoagulants represent an alternative to vitamin K antagonists for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation without the burden of laboratory control.