title: Anticoagulation drug therapy: a review.
abstract: Historically, most patients who required parenteral anticoagulation received heparin, whereas those patients requiring oral anticoagulation received warfarin. Due to the narrow therapeutic index and need for frequent laboratory monitoring associated with warfarin, there has been a desire to develop newer, more effective anticoagulants. Consequently, in recent years many novel anticoagulants have been developed. The emergency physician may institute anticoagulation therapy in the short term (e.g. heparin) for a patient being admitted, or may start a novel anticoagulation for a patient being discharged. Similarly, a patient on a novel anticoagulant may present to the emergency department due to a hemorrhagic complication. Consequently, the emergency physician should be familiar with the newer and older anticoagulants. This review emphasizes the indication, mechanism of action, adverse effects, and potential reversal strategies for various anticoagulants that the emergency physician will likely encounter.
authors: University of Southern California, LA+USC Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles, California.
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Harter
authors: University of Southern California, LA+USC Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles, California.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Levine
authors: University of Southern California, LA+USC Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles, California.
authors: Sean O
authors: SO
authors: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000991:Antithrombins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004617:Embolism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D065427:Factor Xa Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D000991:Antithrombins; D065427:Factor Xa Inhibitors; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D014859:Warfarin; D006493:Heparin