Monitoring target specific anticoagulants

Abstract

New, target specific, oral anticoagulants have been shown to be safe and effective in prevention and treatment of thromboembolism without laboratory monitoring. However, clinical use of the drugs dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban requires laboratory measurement of their anticoagulant effect in specific clinical situations. This paper reviews the data available on use of screening and specialized testing to measure the anticoagulant effect and drug levels in patients prescribed these medications. Their effect on other coagulation assays is also reviewed. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.