Apixaban

[Blooto]

If Warfarin INR is stable is it worth going on to Apixaban?

I read that there is no antidote to stop active bleeding with the new drugs (Apixaban, Rivaroxaban Dabigatran) however Warfarin does have an antidote, vitamin K.

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Blooto

You need to discuss this with your anti coagulation clinic, but if you are stable on warfarin, then I fully understand staying with it.

However the bleed risk as you put it is not as cut and dried, firstly Dabigatran does have a reversal agent, and there is one undergoing testing now for Rivaroxaban and Apixaban, but you also need to remember these drugs work completely differently to warfarin.

Firstly they have a much shorter active phase, they deteriorate in the body very quickly, a so called short half life, and secondly in the case of a massive trauma injury such as a car crash even Vitamin K for warfarin would not be enough and doctors would use the same techniques to stop bleeding for any anti-coagulant.

Be well

Ian

[Hidden]

Pradaxa (dabigatran) has Praxbind as a reversing agent. Whether hospitals stock it is another matter.