Summary
Although currently available anticoagulants are effective for the prevention and treatment
of thromboembolic disorders, they have several drawbacks. Low-molecular-weight heparins
and fondaparinux produce a predictable level of anticoagulation that obviates the
need for coagulation monitoring, but they must be given parenterally, which renders
them inconvenient for long-term use. Vitamin K antagonists, such as warfarin, are
administered orally, but produce a variable anticoagulant response because genetic
polymorphisms, dietary vitamin K intake and multiple drug-drug interactions affect
their metabolism. Consequently, coagulation monitoring and frequent dose adjustments
are needed to ensure that a therapeutic level of anticoagulation is achieved. This
is burdensome for patients and physicians, and costly for the healthcare system. These
limitations have prompted the development of new oral anticoagulants that target thrombin
or factor Xa and can be given in fixed doses without coagulation monitoring. This
paper focuses on the new oral anticoagulants in the most advanced stages of development.
Keywords
Anticoagulants - arterial thromboembolism - direct factor Xa inhibitors - direct thrombin
inhibitors, venous thromboembolism