UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Toxicology

Title: New anticoagulant: Dabigatran

Keywords: Dabigatran, warfarin, anticoagulant, thrombin inhibitor (PubMed Search)

Posted: 11/4/2010 by Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD
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Dabigatran

  • the first new ORAL anticoagulant in over 50 years
  • is a direct thrombin inhibitor
  • Indicated for reducing strokes and systemic embolism in patients with a fib
  • DOES NOT need monitoring and frequent dose adjustments
  • Has fewer drug and food interactions than warfarin
  • Costs about $8/day (more than the cost of warfarin PLUS monitoring)
  • Both warfarin and dabigatran have a similar OVERALL bleeding risk, but warfarin causes more intracranial bleeding and dabigatran more GI bleeding

References

Pharmacist's Letter: November 2010; Vol: 26, No. 11