The currently approved direct oral anti-coagulants have proven to be safe and efficacious in prevention of stroke in patients with AF. However, the choice of DOAC is influenced by several factors including specific patient characteristics (renal function etc.), preference of OD versus BID, physicians comfort with the drug and the cost of drug to the patient.

Direct oral anticoagulants were introduced in the market to simplify the anticoagulation treatment and eventually, replace warfarin. As previously discussed, these new agents have some advantages over warfarin. One of those advantage is that all DOACs are administered in fixed doses, only adjusted for specific factors like renal functions (in some cases). Since 2008, the US and EU regulatory bodies have approved several DOACs for specific indications based on their clinical trials demonstrating non-inferiority to warfarin. The availability of DOACs have changed the way stroke prevention in AF is managed.

In the recent years, several new classes of Cardiology drugs have emerged. Notable among them are anticoagulants that are used in several secondary indications associated with the diseases of the heart and the vasculature. In this four-part series of articles, we analyze and provide an overview of the market leading anticoagulants, indicated for stroke prevention in Atrial Fibrillation and for primary and secondary prevention of Thromboembolism.