title: New anticoagulant drugs for treatment of venous thromboembolism and stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.
abstract: Venous thromboembolism (including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) and atrial fibrillation are common conditions in Western countries. The mainstay of treatment and prevention for these diseases is fast-acting anticoagulant drugs such as heparins and vitamin K antagonists. The use of these drugs is, however, complex and demanding for both patients and physicians. Recently, new antithrombotic drugs that act directly by inhibiting activated coagulation factors such as factor X or thrombin have been developed and investigated in phase III clinical trials. The aim of this article is to review: (i) the need to develop new drugs; (ii) their efficacy/safety as demonstrated in clinical trials; (iii) the need for laboratory monitoring and (iv) the direction towards the use of these new drugs in the real-life clinical situation.
authors.affiliation: Angelo Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Cà Granda Maggiore Hospital Foundation and Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. armando.tripodi@unimi.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tripodi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palareti
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D000069604:Dabigatran; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011728:Pyridones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069552:Rivaroxaban; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D009025:Morpholines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D011728:Pyridones; D013876:Thiophenes; D015091:beta-Alanine; D014812:Vitamin K; C522181:apixaban; D006493:Heparin; D000069552:Rivaroxaban; D000069604:Dabigatran