How I treat target-specific oral anticoagulant–associated bleeding

Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 123 (8) ◽  
pp. 1152-1158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah M. Siegal ◽  
David A. Garcia ◽  
Mark A. Crowther

Abstract Target-specific oral anticoagulants (TSOACs) that directly inhibit thrombin (dabigatran) or factor Xa (rivaroxaban, apixaban) are effective and safe alternatives to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). Although these agents have practical advantages compared with VKAs and LMWH, there are no antidotes that reverse their anticoagulant effect. Clinical evidence for the efficacy of nonspecific therapies that promote formation of fibrin (prothrombin complex concentrate [PCC], activated PCC [aPCC], and recombinant factor VIIa) in the setting of TSOAC-associated bleeding is lacking, and these prohemostatic products are associated with a risk of thrombosis. In the absence of specific antidotes, addition of PCC or aPCC to maximum supportive therapy may be reasonable for patients with severe or life-threatening TSOAC-associated bleeding. Targeted antidotes for these agents are in development.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alok Dabi ◽  
Aristides P. Koutrouvelis

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are a new class of anticoagulants that directly inhibit either thrombin or factor Xa in the coagulation cascade. They are being increasingly used instead of warfarin or other vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Adverse side effects of DOACs may result in hemorrhagic complications, including life-threatening intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), though to a much lesser degree than VKAs. Currently there are relatively limited indications for DOACS but their usage is certain to expand with the availability of their respective specific reversal agents. Currently, only idarucizumab (antidote for dabigatran) has been United States Food and Drug Administration- (FDA-) approved, but others (andexanet-α and ciraparantag) may be approved in near future, and the development and availability of such reversal agents have the potential to dramatically change the current anticoagulant use by providing reversal of multiple oral anticoagulants. Until all the DOACs have FDA-approved reversal agents, the treatment of the dreaded side effects of bleeding is challenging. This article is an attempt to provide an overview of the management of hemorrhage, especially ICH, related to DOAC use.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (06) ◽  
pp. 726-736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lanting Fuh ◽  
Jonathan Sin ◽  
Joshua Goldstein ◽  
Bryan Hayes

AbstractIn patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), one of the major concerns is ongoing bleeding or ICH expansion. Anticoagulated patients are at higher risk of ongoing expansion and worse outcome. It may be that rapid anticoagulation reversal can reduce the risk of expansion and improve clinical outcome. For those taking coumarins, the best available evidence suggests that intravenous vitamin K combined with four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) is the most rapid and effective regimen to restore hemostasis. For those on dabigatran, the highest quality data available for reversal are for idarucizumab, although it is not yet clear whether patients derive clinical benefit from this reversal. In the absence or failure of idarucizumab, activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC) is recommended. For those on factor Xa inhibitors, the ideal reversal agent is not clear. Many providers use 4F-PCC or aPCC, but more specific agents are in clinical trials and may soon be available. In addition, the half-lives of the non–vitamin K antagonists are relatively short compared with warfarin, and so some patients may not have a clinically relevant coagulopathy at the time of presentation. Overall, the optimal reversal agent, when one is required, is a function of which anticoagulant the patient is taking.


VASA ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haas ◽  
Spannagl ◽  
M. Schellong

Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have become available for different clinical indications such as the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after major orthopaedic surgery, for the treatment of VTE and stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). One thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran etexilate) and two factor Xa-inhibitors (rivaroxaban and apixaban) are the most advanced NOACs and therefore, up-to-date information on their evidence and use in clinical practice appears timely. In this review we give a concise overview of the pharmacology and clinical evidence derived from phase 3 clinical trials. Then the meaningfulness of laboratory testing is discussed and recommendations are given for clinical scenarios that may necessitate adjustment of their use. We conclude that NOACs are valuable alternatives to heparins or vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in the prevention and treatment of VTE and for the prevention of stroke in patients with AF. Prescribers should however be aware of special situations and patient populations where the manufacturers’ instructions need to be carefully followed. In particular, patients with comorbidities and co-medications may require individual decision making in order to prevent bleeding complications.


Hematology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 518-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureane Hoffman ◽  
Dougald M. Monroe

Abstract Dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban are orally active anticoagulants that are approved in many countries. Dabigatran inhibits thrombin, whereas rivaroxaban and apixaban are factor Xa inhibitors. In clinical trials, these novel oral anticoagulants were at least as effective as warfarin for preventing stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, but with a lower rate of serious bleeding. However, the lack of true antidotes for these agents has caused concern when patients suffer life-threatening bleeding or trauma or require emergent invasive procedures. True antidotes are under development for all of these agents. In the meantime, activated and nonactivated prothrombin complex concentrates have been used as reversal agents. Factor VIIa may also be effective for reversal of the factor Xa inhibitors. Reversal of novel oral anticoagulants by these hemostatic agents has not been studied in bleeding human patients, so their true efficacy and appropriate dosing are not known.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (02) ◽  
pp. 201-213
Author(s):  
Jürgen Koscielny ◽  
Edita Rutkauskaite ◽  
Christoph Sucker ◽  
Christian von Heymann

AbstractAn understanding of reversal strategies alone is important to safely and effectively care for patients in cases of bleeding or invasive procedures. The recent diversification in the number of licensed anticoagulants makes an understanding of drug-specific reversal strategies essential. Intravenous or oral vitamin K can reverse the effect of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) within 12 to 48 hours and is indicated for any bleeding or an international normalized ratio >10 or 4.5 to 10 in patients with additional risk factors for bleeding. Furthermore, an additional administration of prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) may be necessary in cases of major bleeding related to VKA. Protamine (chloride or sulfate) fully reverses the effect of unfractionated heparin and partially in low-molecular-weight heparin. Idarucizumab has been approved for dabigatran reversal, whereas andexanet alfa is approved for the reversal of some oral factor Xa inhibitors (apixaban, rivaroxaban). PCC seems to enhance the haemostatic potential for the reversal of the effect of FXa-inhibitors. So far, there are promising but only limited data on the efficacy of this approach available. Each reversal strategy needs an adequate management beyond the hemostatic treatment (volume replacement, stabilization of homeostasis, e.g., pH and temperature, resumption of anticoagulation after successful treatment of bleeding, etc.) that is crucial for the successful management of acute bleedings, urgent high-risk surgery, thrombolytic therapies or thrombectomies as well as overdosing of anticoagulants.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 3319-3319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshiyuki Morishima ◽  
Yuko Honda ◽  
Toshiro Shibano

Abstract Abstract 3319 Background: Hemorrhage is an unwanted effect of any anticoagulant. In animal studies, edoxaban, a novel direct factor Xa (FXa) inhibitor, does not cause significant bleeding at therapeutic doses; however at higher than 10-times the doses the compound prolongs bleeding time. In clinical studies, edoxaban causes bleeding complications comparable to standard anticoagulants, warfarin and enoxaparin in patients with atrial fibrillation and patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. In case of emergency, antidotes to reverse the anticoagulant effect of edoxaban would be helpful. Objective: To determine the effects of three hemostatic agents: anti-inhibitor coagulant complex, prothrombin complex concentrate, and recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) on prothrombin time (PT) prolonged by edoxaban using pooled human plasma in vitro. Materials & Methods: Anti-inhibitor coagulant complex (Feiba), prothrombin complex concentrate (PPSB-HT), and rFVIIa were purchased from Baxter, Nihon Pharmaceutical, and Novo Nordisk Pharma. Pooled human normal plasma was obtained from George King Bio-Medical. PT was measured with a microcoagulometer (Amelung KC-10A micro) as follows. Five μL of anti-inhibitor coagulant complex, prothrombin complex concentrate, and rFVIIa solutions or vehicle (saline) and 45 μL of plasma spiked with edoxaban or 5% DMSO-saline solution were added to a cuvette and pre-incubated at 37°C for 1 min. Coagulation was started by the addition of 100 μL of HemosIL PT-fibrinogen HS PLUS (Instrumentation Laboratory) to the mixture. The clotting time was measured. Results: Mean PT of the control plasma in three experiments was 17.8 − 18.4 sec. Edoxaban at concentrations of 150 and 300 ng/mL significantly prolonged PT. Addition of anti-inhibitor coagulant complex (0.15, 0.5 and 1.5 U/mL) significantly and concentration-dependently shortened the prolonged PT caused by edoxaban. At the maximum concentration (1.5 U/mL), anti-inhibitor coagulant complex reversed PT to 19.5 and 25.0 sec from 31.5 and 43.7 sec in the presence of 150 and 300 ng/mL edoxaban, respectively. Prothrombin complex concentrate (0.15, 0.5 and 1.5 U/mL) and rFVIIa (100, 300 and 1000 ng/mL) also significantly and concentration-dependently reversed anticoagulant effect of edoxaban. At the maximum concentration of prothrombin complex concentrate (1.5 U/mL), PT was shortened to 23.7 and 31.6 sec from 30.7 and 42.5 sec in the presence of 150 and 300 ng/mL edoxaban. rFVIIa at the maximum concentration (1000 ng/mL) reversed PT to 17.3 and 24.2 sec from 30.7 and 43.1 sec in the presence of 150 and 300 ng/mL edoxaban. Anti-inhibitor coagulant complex, prothrombin complex concentrate and rFVIIa each alone significantly shortened PT in a concentration-dependent manner. In the presence of anti-inhibitor coagulant complex (1.5 U/mL), prothrombin complex concentrate (1.5 U/mL), and rFVIIa (1000 ng/mL), PT was 13.1, 15.1, and 11.6 sec, respectively. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that anti-inhibitor coagulant complex, prothrombin complex concentrate, and rFVIIa effectively reversed the anticoagulant effect of edoxaban in pooled human plasma in vitro. Therefore, it is suggested that these hemostatic agents have the potential to be antidotes to edoxaban in cases of hemorrhage. Disclosures: Morishima: Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.: Employment. Off Label Use: Drugs: anti-inhibitor coagulant complex, prothrombin complex concentrate, and recombinant factor VIIa Purpose: Reversal of the anticoagulant effect of edoxaban, a factor Xa inhibitor. Honda:Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.: Employment. Shibano:Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.: Employment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 395-404
Author(s):  
Jameel Abdulrehman ◽  
John W Eikelboom ◽  
Deborah M Siegal

Direct oral anticoagulants are associated with lower rates of bleeding than vitamin K antagonists, but life-threatening bleeding still occurs. Andexanet alfa is a catalytically inactive recombinant modified human factor Xa molecule that reverses the anticoagulant effect of direct and indirect acting factor Xa inhibitors. In the ANNEXA-4 study, treatment with andexanet was associated with a 92% reduction in median anti-Xa activity levels and excellent or good hemostasis in 82% of patients presenting with serious bleeding while receiving apixaban or rivaroxaban. In this review, we discuss the burden of bleeding in anticoagulated patients and the need for reversal agents, review the mechanism of action of andexanet and critically evaluate the evidence for its efficacy and safety.


1979 ◽  
Vol 42 (04) ◽  
pp. 1296-1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
R M Bertina ◽  
W van der Marel-van Nieuwkoop ◽  
E A Loeliger

SummaryTwo spectrophotometric assays for prothrombin have been developed and compared with a one stage coagulant and an immunological assay. One of these assays (called the XAPC assay) uses a combination of factor Xa, phospholipid, Ca2+ and factor V as activator of prothrombin, and measures only normal prothrombin. The second (the ECAR assay) uses Echis carinatus venom as activator. This assay measures both normal prothrombin and PIVKA II (protein induced by vitamin K antagonists/absence). Combination of the results obtained by the XAPC and ECAR assays provides rapid and reliable information on the degree of “subcarboxylation” of prothrombin (oral anticoagulation, vitamin K deficiency).For patients on long term anticoagulant treatment the prothrombin time (Thrombotest) shows better correlation with the ratio prothrombin/prothrombin plus PIVKA II (XAPC/ ECAR) than with the factor II concentration. For patients starting the anticoagulant treatment there is no correlation between the Thrombotest time and the XAPC/ECAR ratio.It seems doubtful that (a) spectrophotometric factor II assay(s) will be as useful as the prothrombin time in the control of oral anticoagulation.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Baumann Kreuziger ◽  
Joseph C. Keenan ◽  
Colleen T. Morton ◽  
David J. Dries

Ease of dosing and simplicity of monitoring make new oral anticoagulants an attractive therapy in a growing range of clinical conditions. However, newer oral anticoagulants interact with the coagulation cascade in different ways than traditional warfarin therapy. Replacement of clotting factors will not reverse the effects of dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban. Currently, antidotes for these drugs are not widely available. Fortunately, withholding the anticoagulant and dialysis are freqnently effective treatments, particularly with rivaroxaban and dabigatran. Emergent bleeding, however, requires utilization of Prothrombin Complex Concentrates (PCCs). PCCs, in addition to recombinant factor VIIa, are used to activate the clotting system to reverse the effects of the new oral anticoagulants. In cases of refractory or emergent bleeding, the recommended factor concentrate in our protocols differs between the new oral anticoagulants. In patients taking dabigatran, we administer an activated PCC (aPCC) [FELBA] due to reported benefit in human in vitro studies. Based on human clinical trial evidence, the 4-factor PCC (Kcentra) is suggested for patients with refractory rivaroxaban- or apixaban-associated hemorrhage. If bleeding continues, recombinant factor VIIa may be employed. With all of these new procoagulant agents, the risk of thrombosis associated with administration of factor concentrates must be weighed against the relative risk of hemorrhage.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mazen Zaarour ◽  
Samer Hassan ◽  
Nishitha Thumallapally ◽  
Qun Dai

In the last decade, the desire for safer oral anticoagulants (OACs) led to the emergence of newer drugs. Available clinical trials demonstrated a lower risk of OACs-associated life-threatening bleeding events, including intracranial hemorrhage, compared to warfarin. Nontraumatic spinal hematoma is an uncommon yet life-threatening neurosurgical emergency that can be associated with the use of these agents. Rivaroxaban, one of the newly approved OACs, is a direct factor Xa inhibitor. To the best of our knowledge, to date, only two published cases report the incidence of rivaroxaban-induced nontraumatic spinal subdural hematoma (SSDH). Our case is the third one described and the first one to involve the cervicothoracic spine.


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