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Resumption of anticoagulation after major bleeding decreases the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation
This study aimed to (1) evaluate anticoagulation use after a major bleeding event on dabigatran or warfarin and (2) compare outcomes between patients discontinuing anticoagulation and those restarting dabigatran or warfarin. Methods This was...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - June 9, 2017 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Smit, M. D., Van Gelder, I. C. Tags: Therapeutics/Prevention Source Type: research

New reversal agent for factor Xa inhibitors shows promise
Commentary on: Siegal DM, Curnette JT, Connolly SJ, et al.. Andexanet alfa for the reversal of Factor Xa inhibitor activity. N Engl J Med 2015;373:2413–24. Context Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have emerged as alternatives to vitamin K-antagonists (eg, warfarin) for the long-term management of stroke prevention for non-valvular atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolic disease. Favourable side-effect profiles and absence of therapeutic monitoring are important benefits of these newer agents. Warfarin is readily reversed with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or prothrombin complex concentrates.1 The first reversal ag...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - May 22, 2016 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Ghadimi, K., Welsby, I. J. Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology), Immunology (including allergy), Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Venous thromboembolism, Unwanted effects / adverse reactions Therapeutics/Prevention Source Type: research

Using the Watchman device to close the left atrial appendage reduces risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation, compared to using warfarin
Commentary to: Reddy VY, Sievert H, Halperin J, et al.; PROTECT AF Steering Committee and Investigators. Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure vs warfarin for atrial fibrillation: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2014;312:1988–98 . Context Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia in clinical practice. The major complication of AF is thromboembolic stroke. Patients with AF have a fivefold higher risk of stroke and a twofold increase in mortality.1 As complete cure for AF is never certain, the aims of AF therapy are symptom relief and prevention of thromboembolic events. The latter can be managed by vitami...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - May 22, 2015 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Swaans, M. J., Alipour, A., Boersma, L. V. Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology), Epidemiologic studies, Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Arrhythmias Therapeutics/Prevention Source Type: research

Vitamin K antagonist-experienced patients with a history of stroke/transient ischaemic attack who switched from warfarin to dabigatran increased their rate of recurrent stroke/transient ischaemic attack compared with those on warfarin
Commentary on: Larsen TB, Rasmussen LH, Gorst-Rasmussen A, et al. Dabigatran and warfarin for secondary prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation patients: a nationwide cohort study. Am J Med 2014;127:1172–8 . Context Randomised trials have shown that patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are treated with a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), compared with warfarin, have similar or lower rates of stroke and major bleeding, markedly reduced rates of intracranial bleeding and a consistent pattern of reduced mortality.1 Dabigatran 150 mg two times a day is the only NOAC that can significantly...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - May 22, 2015 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Eikelboom, J. W., Bosch, J. Tags: Epidemiologic studies, Time-to-event methods, Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Arrhythmias Aetiology/Harm Source Type: research

Risk of warfarin-associated intracerebral haemorrhage after ischaemic stroke is low and unchanged during the 2000s
Commentary on: Asberg A, Erisksson M, Henriksson KM, et al.. Warfarin-associated intracerebral hemorrhage after ischemic stroke. Stroke 2014;45:2118–20. Context Since its isolation during the early half of the 20th century from the mouldy hay responsible for ‘sweet clover disease’ in cattle, warfarin has become the most widely used oral anticoagulant.1 Indications include atrial fibrillation (AF), mechanical prosthetic valves and venous thromboembolism treatment.2 Warfarin reduces stroke risk in patients with AF by nearly two-thirds; AF accounts for 20% of ischaemic strokes, which tend to be more severe t...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - January 21, 2015 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Ruland, S., Biller, J. Tags: Epidemiologic studies, Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Hypertension, Alcohol-related disorders, Drugs misuse (including addiction), Arrhythmias, Alcohol, Health education Aetiology/Harm Source Type: research

Evidence suggests dabigatran is an effective and safe treatment for patients with VTE requiring early parenteral therapy
Commentary on: Schulman S, Kakkar AK, Goldhaber SZ, et al.. Treatment of acute venous thromboembolism with dabigatran or warfarin and pooled analysis. Circulation 2014;129:764–72. Context Until recently, an initial course of parenteral anticoagulation followed by vitamin K antagonist (VKA) was the standard of care for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). In the past few years, direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) have been found to be non-inferior to VKA.1–3 The RE-COVER study found dabigatran to be non-inferior to warfarin, with a reduced risk for clinically relevant bleeding.4 In order to confirm these...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - September 15, 2014 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Granziera, S., Cohen, A. T. Tags: Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Venous thromboembolism, Radiology, Pulmonary embolism, Clinical diagnostic tests Therapeutics Source Type: research

Non-vitamin-K oral anticoagulants reduce mortality, stroke and intracranial haemorrhage when compared with warfarin in randomised trials of patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation
Commentary on: Ruff CT, Giugliano RP, Braunwald E, et al.. Comparison of the efficacy and safety of new oral anticoagulants with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of randomised trials. Lancet 2014;383:955–62. Context Historically, the standard medication for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) has been a vitamin-K antagonist (warfarin). However, several non-vitamin-K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been developed and shown to be at least as effective as dose-adjusted warfarin in their respective phase-3 clinical trials.1–4 These include the direct thrombin inhibitor dabig...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - September 15, 2014 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Steinberg, B. A. Tags: Epidemiologic studies, Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Ischaemic heart disease, Connective tissue disease, Musculoskeletal syndromes, Diabetes, Arrhythmias Therapeutics Source Type: research

Novel anticoagulants in patients with mechanical heart valves
Commentary on: Eikelboom JW, Connolly SJ, Brueckmann M, et al.. Dabigatran versus warfarin in patients with mechanical heart valves. N Engl J Med 2013;369:1206. Context Novel anticoagulants (including the direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etixilate) and oral factor Xa inhibitors have similar or superior efficacy and safety to warfarin for reducing thromboembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, and for prevention of deep venous thrombosis. Eikelboom and colleagues set out to examine whether these novel anticoagulants could be used as an alternative to warfarin in patients with mechanical heart valves. Method...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - May 19, 2014 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Stewart, R. A. H. Tags: Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Venous thromboembolism Therapeutics Source Type: research

Randomised controlled trial: extended-duration dabigatran is non-inferior to warfarin and more effective than placebo for symptomatic VTE
Commentary on: Schulman S, Kearon C, Kakkar AK, et al.. Extended use of dabigatran, warfarin, or placebo in venous thromboembolism. N Engl J Med 2013;368:709–718. RE-MEDY and RE-SONATE trials. Context In patients with idiopathic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), extending the duration of warfarin beyond the initial 3–6 months of anticoagulation significantly reduces the risk for recurrence.1 2 Dabigatran is an oral direct-thrombin inhibitor that has been shown to be as effective as warfarin in the first 6 months after a venous thromboembolism (VTE).3 However, its efficacy and safe...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - January 22, 2014 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Liem, T. K., DeLoughery, T. G. Tags: EBM Aetiology, Clinical trials (epidemiology), Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Venous thromboembolism, Pulmonary embolism Source Type: research

Thromboprophylaxis in heart failure patients with sinus rhythm: aspirin and warfarin lead to similar cardiovascular outcomes
Commentary on: Homma S, Thompson JL, Pullicino PM, et al.. WARCEF Investigators. Warfarin and aspirin in patients with heart failure and sinus rhythm. N Engl J Med 2012;366:1859–69. Context Chronic heart failure (CHF) is common, affecting 1–2% of the population and 10% of people >70 years. Patients with CHF have an increased risk of thromboembolism. Those with atrial fibrillation (AF) should receive warfarin but whether CHF patients with sinus rhythm (SR), whose risk is 1.5–3.5%,1 should receive thromboprophylaxis is unclear. Previous studies, Warfarin/Aspirin Study in Heart failure (warfarin, asp...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - March 19, 2013 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Witte, K. K. A., Jamil, H. A. Tags: Epidemiologic studies, Drugs: cardiovascular system, Stroke, Ischaemic heart disease, Diabetes, Arrhythmias Therapeutics Source Type: research

Dabigatran associated with increased risk of acute coronary events
Commentary on: Uchino K, Hernandez AV. Dabigatran association with higher risk of acute coronary events: meta-analysis of noninferiority randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med 2012;172:397–402. Context The novel oral anticoagulants, comprised of direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) (ie, dabigatran) and the factor Xa inhibitors (ie, rivaroxaban, apixaban and edoxaban), are revolutionising the way patients are anticoagulated. Recent years have witnessed a surge of trials evaluating these drugs in many clinical contexts. However, with such rapid uptake, it becomes critical to carefully evaluate safety data in order ...
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - January 17, 2013 Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Kohli, P., Cannon, C. P. Tags: Electronic pages Source Type: research