New oral anticoagulants: from theory to practice
De Moerloose, P.; Casini, A.; Boehlen, F.; Fontana, P.
Revue Medicale Suisse 9(369): 104-107
2013
ISSN/ISBN: 1660-9379 PMID: 23409645 Document Number: 664056
Physicians are confronted with many new antithrombotic drugs, either antiplatelet agents or new oral anticoagulants (NOAC). Targets of NOAC are specific (either anti-IIa or antiXa) and clinical studies have shown that NOAC are as efficacious and as safe as "old" anticoagulants (heparin, low molecular weight heparin, vitamin K antagonists); moreover they present some advantages. Indeed, NOAC have a wide therapeutic window and do not require laboratory monitoring. Therefore, it is very tempting to prescribe them on a large scale basis in patients at risk or having thromboembolic diseases. However, things are not so simple in the day-to-day practice and this review aims at answering in a brief and simplified manner to some questions.