Anticoagulant

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Anticoagulants are "agents that prevent blood clotting".[1] They may be used to prevent embolism and thromboembolism.

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Vitamin K antagonists

Warfarin

For more information, see: warfarin.


Warfarin is a commonly used oral anticoagulant that interferes with the Vitamin K dependent coagulation co-factors.

Heparin

Details of the usage of heparin are available in clinical practice guidelines by the American College of Chest Physicians[2]:

Direct thrombin inhibitors

Direct thrombin inhibitors bind directly to thrombin.[3]

Factor Xa inhibitors

Idraparinux is a synthetic derivative of heparin that has a long half life that allows once-weekly dosage. A randomized controlled trial compared idraparinux to warfarin and found that idraparinux is equivalent for deep venous thrombosis but is inferior for pulmonary embolism.[4]

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Anticoagulants. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  2. Hirsh J, Raschke R (2004). "Heparin and low-molecular-weight heparin: the Seventh ACCP Conference on Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy". Chest 126 (3 Suppl): 188S-203S. DOI:10.1378/chest.126.3_suppl.188S. PMID 15383472. Research Blogging.
  3. Di Nisio M, Middeldorp S, Büller HR (2005). "Direct thrombin inhibitors". N. Engl. J. Med. 353 (10): 1028–40. DOI:10.1056/NEJMra044440. PMID 16148288. Research Blogging.
  4. Buller HR, Cohen AT, Davidson B, et al (2007). "Idraparinux versus standard therapy for venous thromboembolic disease". N. Engl. J. Med. 357 (11): 1094–104. DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa064247. PMID 17855670. Research Blogging.

See also

External links

The Seventh ACCP Conference on Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy: Evidence-Based Guidelines