New oral anticoagulants offer benefits for orthopaedic surgery patients, say researchers
Two new oral anticoagulants offer improvements in terms of ease of administration for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery and one my reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism, the results of Phase III trials suggest.
In a study of 3,494 patients, once-daily dabigatran etexilate was as
effective as subcutaneous enoxaparin 40mg in reducing the risk of venous
thromboembolism after total hip replacement, and had a similar safety
profile.
Dabigatran etexilate is given as a capsule and avoids the need for frequent
anticoagulation monitoring and dose adjustment, which is associated with
warfarin use.
In a separate study of 2,531 patients undergoing total knee replacement,
once-daily oral rivaroxaban, a direct Factor Xa inhibitor, was found
to be more effective than subcutaneous enoxaparin 40mg at preventing
venous thromboembolism. Patients experienced a 62 per cent relative risk
reduction for major venous thromboembolism (P=0.01) and a 49 per cent
relative risk reduction for deep vein thrombosis, non-fatal pulmonary
embolism or all-cause mortality (P<0.001).
The results of both studies were announced at the Congress
of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis in Geneva last week.
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