title: The mechanism of action of oral anticoagulants and its consequences for the practice of oral anticoagulation.
abstract: A short review on the discovery of the relation between vitamin K and the synthesis of clotting factors and on the development of anticoagulant therapy is given. The procoagulant activity induced by vitamin K resides in the postribosomal modification of N-terminal glutamic acids in gamma-COOH glutamic acids. The mode of action of oral anticoagulants is explained. The concentration-effect relations and the choice of an oral anticoagulant is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D014812:Vitamin K