UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: New anticoagulant: Dabigatran

Category: Toxicology

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

Posted: 11/4/2010 by Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD
Click here to contact Ellen Lemkin, MD, PharmD

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

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