Pharmacokinetics of new oral anticoagulants: implications for use in routine care

Introduction: Since 2008, new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been approved for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients receiving hip or knee replacement surgery, prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE). Premarketing randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of NOACs demonstrated their non-inferiority in terms of efficacy vs. warfarin (traditional oral anticoagulant–TOA), with lower risk of serious adverse drug reactions, especially cerebral hemorrhages. In clinical practice, pharmacokinetic aspects of NOACs have to be carefully taken into account to …