Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants: A Concise Guide

Abstract

There are several disorders which carry an increased risk of thrombosis, clots that interfere with normal circulation, including: venous thromboembolism (VTE), comprising both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), atrial fibrillation (AF), acute coronary syndromes (ACS), valve disease and endocarditis, and conditions associated with a raised risk of ischemic stroke. Due to this increased risk, a number of thromboprophylactic medications target the coagulation cascade. Effective anticoagulation can be achieved by inhibiting different coagulation factors in the coagulation cascade.