Four factor prothrombin complex concentrate (human): review of the pharmacology and clinical application for vitamin

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Measurement of Factor V Activity in Human Plasma Using a Microplate Coagulation Assay
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Published on: September 9, 2012

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Theresa N Kinard1, Ravi Sarode

  • 1Department of Pathology, Division of Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.

Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy
|March 22, 2014
PubMed

Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) have been used for decades for the treatment and prophylaxis of thromboembolic events. Due to their wide range of therapeutic indications, they are the most prescribed oral anticoagulant worldwide. However, they are associated with bleeding complications due to their narrow therapeutic range, variability in individual dose responses and laboratory monitoring, and overdoses. Despite off-label use of 3-factor prothrombin complex concentrates and recombinant activated factor VII, until recently, vitamin K and plasma were the only recommended therapeutic options for reversing VKAs in the USA. In 2013, a 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) was approved in the USA for VKA reversal in patients with bleeding or requiring emergency surgery and invasive procedure. Recent randomized controlled clinical trials have shown that 4F-PCC (Kcentra™) is non-inferior for hemostatic efficacy and superior for international normalized ratio correction as compared to plasma and has a similar safety profile.

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