Direct Acting Oral Anticoagulant Utilization, Safety and Efficacy in Heart Transplant (HT)

There is an increased incidence of atrial fibrillation and risk of VTE in the post-HT setting. The nuances of vitamin K antagonists, including drug/food interactions and narrow therapeutic index, limit their applicability in this patient population. The use of direct acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has risen dramatically due to convenience, simplified administration, and improved safety profile compared to warfarin. Despite these advantages, adoption in HT has been limited due to concerns of post-op bleeding, drug interactions, and unknown safety and efficacy.

Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - March 31, 2018 Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: N. Bellam, M. Kamath, E.C. DePasquale, J.G. Smith, J. Fuentes, R. Ardehali, A.S. Baas, M. Cadeiras, M. Deng, M.H. Kwon, A. Ardehali, A. Nsair, T. Khuu Source Type: research