Direct oral anticoagulants

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are currently used for the following indications:

• prevention of stroke in non-valvular AF. NICE stipulate that certain other risk factors should be present. These are complicated and differ between the DOACs but generally require one of the following to be present:
  • prior stroke or transient ischaemic attack
  • age 75 years or older
  • hypertension
  • diabetes mellitus
  • heart failure
• prevention of VTE following hip/knee surgery
• treatment of DVT and PE

The table below summaries some of the differences between the DOACs:

• AndeXanet alfa is a recombinant form of human factor Xa protein