ASH Meeting: New Oral Anticoagulants

Two new oral anticoagulants are emerging from phase III trials and receiving attention at this year’s American Society of Hematology annual meeting, in progress in Atlanta, GA. These are… 
Dabigatran, Boehringer-Ingelheim, a direct thrombin inhibitor, and Rivaroxaban, Bayer, a Xa-inhibitor. Both appear to possess safety and efficacy profiles equivalent to low molecular weight heparin, and require no laboratory monitoring. See Hirsh J, O’Donnell M, Eikelboom JW. Beyond unfractionated heparin and warfarin: current and future advances. Circulation. 2007;116:552-60. for details. Geo