New anticoagulant treatments to protect against stroke in atrial fibrillation.
Warfarin has long been the 'gold standard' of oral anticoagulation for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF). Recently, the oral direct thrombin inhibitors and direct factor Xa inhibitors have emerged as attractive alternatives to warfarin and have already changed the landscape of stroke prevention in AF. The new anticoagulants have important advantages over warfarin. Despite their impressive performance in clinical trials, their long-term efficacy and safety still require evaluation in 'real-world' clinical practice. In this review, the emerging role of the new oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in patients with AF is discussed.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
Tatjana S
TS
Potpara
Gregory Y H
GY
Lip
Stavros
S
Apostolakis
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000925:Anticoagulants