Key result
Direct oral anticoagulants are recommended as the first-line treatment for pulmonary thromboembolism, offering comparable efficacy and a generally safer bleeding profile than vitamin K antagonists.
Why the study?
Management of acute pulmonary thromboembolism remains challenging, and direct oral anticoagulants have largely replaced vitamin K antagonists due to favorable pharmacological characteristics.
Do direct oral anticoagulants improve outcomes and safety compared to vitamin K antagonists in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism?
Do direct oral anticoagulants improve outcomes and safety compared to vitamin K antagonists in patients with pulmonary thromboembolism?
Direct oral anticoagulants are recommended as the first-line therapy for pulmonary thromboembolism due to their efficacy, safety, and favorable pharmacological properties compared to vitamin K antagonists.
May support DOAC preference in pulmonary thromboembolism; leaves open prospective validation in diverse subgroups.
Venous thromboembolic disease, which includes pulmonary thromboembolism and deep vein thrombosis, is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality. Management of patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism is challenging, due to the wide spectrum of clinical presentation and possible outcomes. Certainly, anticoagulant therapy is the basis of treatment for these patients. Until recently, parenteral anticoagulants and oral vitamin K antagonists were used to achieve an anticoagulant effect. These drugs still have their place in the treatment of venous thromboembolic disease, but new, i.e. direct oral anticoagulants have replaced oral vitamin K antagonists due to their more favorable pharmacological characteristics. In this paper, based on available literature, clinical trials and good clinical practice guidelines, we highlight critical errors and discuss potential advantages and disadvantages of oral anticoagulants.
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Omčikus et al. (2023) conducted a review in Pulmonary thromboembolism. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) vs. Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) was evaluated. Direct oral anticoagulants are recommended as the first-line treatment for pulmonary thromboembolism, offering comparable efficacy and a generally safer bleeding profile than vitamin K antagonists.
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