title: [Prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism: the role of new antithrombotic drugs].
abstract: Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Unfractioned heparin, low-molecular weight heparins and vitamin K antagonists, currently used in the prophylaxis and treatment of VTE, are effective and relatively safe. Otherwise, they have some important limitations (narrow therapeutic window, highly variable dose-response relationship; limitation by the need of parenteral administration for heparins and the risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia) which provide opportunities for new antithrombotic drugs. These drugs include: inhibitors of factors IXa and factor VIIa/tissue factor complex, agents that enhance the protein C anticoagulant pathway, direct and antithrombin-dependent Xa inhibitors, direct and indirect thrombin inhibitors. Fondaparinux and idraparinux, two new indirect parenteral factor Xa inhibitors, have been studied in well conducted trials, showing interesting results both in the prevention and in the treatment of VTE. Ximelagatran, the first orally available thrombin inhibitor, represents a promising new anticoagulant drug for the prophylaxis of VTE after major orthopedic surgery and for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: Centro Trombosi, Dipartimento di Area Critica Medico Chirurgica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, Firenze.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Falciani
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Imberti
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prisco
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001384:Azetidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001596:Benzylamines; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077425:Fondaparinux; D006801:Humans; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001384:Azetidines; D001596:Benzylamines; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D011134:Polysaccharides; C426686:ximelagatran; C479958:idraparinux; D000077425:Fondaparinux