Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 20, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
23:33

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 28, 2012

84.8K

Selecting an oral anticoagulant for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation

Carlos J Gonzalez Quesada1, Robert P Giugliano

  • 1Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA, carlosjgquesada@mail.harvard.edu.

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis
|November 23, 2014
PubMed

Insights

New oral anticoagulants offer alternatives to warfarin for preventing thromboembolism in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. This review guides selection based on patient factors and clinical scenarios for safe and effective anticoagulation.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Cardiology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Warfarin has been the standard for thromboembolism prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF).
  • Limitations of warfarin necessitate alternative anticoagulation strategies.
  • Direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) represent a new generation of anticoagulants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To guide clinicians in selecting the most effective and safest anticoagulation for nonvalvular AF patients.
  • To describe the pharmacologic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics of DOACs.
  • To outline the use of DOACs in specific clinical scenarios.

Main Methods:

  • Review of evidence from phase III clinical trials.
  • Analysis of observational studies.
  • Examination of pharmacokinetic data.
  • Description of DOAC characteristics and clinical applications.

Main Results:

  • DOACs offer alternatives to warfarin with varying profiles.
  • Evidence supports DOAC use in diverse patient populations.
  • Specific patient groups require tailored anticoagulation strategies.

Conclusions:

  • DOACs provide valuable options for anticoagulation in nonvalvular AF.
  • Selection of DOACs should be individualized based on patient characteristics and clinical context.
  • This review aids in optimizing anticoagulation therapy for AF patients.

More Related Videos

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation28:13

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 26, 2013

34.4K
Non-fluoroscopic Catheter Tracking for Fluoroscopy Reduction in Interventional Electrophysiology10:46

Non-fluoroscopic Catheter Tracking for Fluoroscopy Reduction in Interventional Electrophysiology

Published on: May 26, 2015

14.0K

Related Concept Videos

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins01:30

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins

Hemostasis is a crucial process that prevents excessive blood loss from damaged blood vessels. It involves various mechanisms such as vasoconstriction, platelet adhesion and activation, and fibrin formation. The importance of each mechanism depends on the type of vessel injury. In contrast, thrombosis is the abnormal formation of a blood clot within the blood vessels, leading to potential complications if the clot obstructs blood flow. Thrombosis can be caused by increased coagulability of the...
2.6K
Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants01:18

Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants

Oral anticoagulants are vital tools in preventing and treating blood clotting disorders. This diverse class of medications can be categorized as vitamin K antagonists, exemplified by warfarin, and direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs), such as dabigatran, as well as factor Xa inhibitors, including rivaroxaban.
Warfarin, a prominent vitamin K antagonist family member, exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1). By hindering this enzyme, warfarin...
2.9K
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care01:29

Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care

Venous thrombosis requires effective prevention and treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce potential complications.Prevention StrategiesHealthcare providers must prioritize preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) for all adult patients upon admission. Interventions depend on bleeding and thrombosis risk, medical history, current medications, diagnoses, planned procedures, and patient preferences. Patients on bed rest should change positions every two hours and, if not...
477
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers01:22

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers

Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are used to treat various types of arrhythmias or irregular heart rhythms. These drugs block the sodium (Na+) channels in the cardiac cells, thereby affecting the movement of electrical impulses across the heart. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are divided into three subgroups: Class IA, Class IB, and Class IC, each with distinct mechanisms of action and effects on the heart.
Class 1A Antiarrhythmic Drugs: These drugs work by moderately blocking sodium channels,...
4.4K
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers01:12

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers

Class III antiarrhythmic drugs are a group of medications that can prolong action potentials in the heart. They achieve this by blocking potassium channels or enhancing inward currents from sodium channels. However, these drugs have a unique property of "reverse use-dependence," which is most pronounced at slower heart rates and can lead to torsades de pointes—a specific type of arrhythmia. However, it is essential to note that excessive QT interval prolongation—a measure of...
3.1K
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers01:24

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers

Adrenergic stimulation generally impacts cardiac rate and rhythm. Specifically, stimulation of the β-adrenoceptors triggers an increase in intracellular calcium ion influx and pacemaker currents, which may cause arrhythmias. Catecholamines like adrenaline also demonstrate β2-adrenoceptor-mediated hypokalemia, impacting cardiac action potential and disrupting the normal cardiac rhythm. Class II antiarrhythmic drugs are β-adrenoceptor antagonists or β-blockers, which...
2.4K