History Information

•  13th May 2012
  Older women with AF face higher stroke risk than men
  Older women with AF face higher stroke risk than men In a study that examined use of the anticoagulant medication warfarin and risk of stroke in older patients following a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, women, especially those ages 75 and older, had a higher risk of stroke than men, regardless of their risk profile and use of warfarin.
•  8th May 2012
  Venous thromboembolism: EINSTEIN transforms anticoagulant therapy in acute PE
  A report by the EINSTEIN-PE investigators, which was presented at the ACC Scientific Sessions in March 2012 and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine, represents a potential tectonic shift in the care of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). The study gives solid evidence for the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban, which is an oral alternative to subcutaneous injection of heparins followed by oral administration of coumarins such as warfarin.
•  3rd May 2012
  Aspirin and Warfarin Equally Effective for Most Heart Failure Patients, Study Suggests
  Neither aspirin nor warfarin is superior for preventing a combined risk of death, stroke, and cerebral hemorrhage in heart failure patients with normal heart rhythm, according to a landmark clinical trial published in the May 3, 2012, New England Journal of Medicine.
•  28th April 2012
  Warfarin May Be OK for Heart Device Implantation
  Continuing oral anticoagulation when undergoing implantation of a cardiac device appears to minimize the bleeding risk compared with a heparin bridging strategy, a meta-analysis showed.
•  27th April 2012
  Outpatient Surgery Patients also at Risk
  Hospitalised patients are often warned of the possibility of venous thromboembolism, which include blood clots that can form in the veins and travel to the lungs. However these warnings have not necessarily been extended to the outpatient surgery population, says Doctor Christopher J. Pannucci.
•  26th April 2012
  CHA2DS2-VASc score gives best prediction of stroke risk in AF
  Another study has suggested that the newer CHA2DS2-VASc score may be more suitable than the CHADS2 score for assessing risk of stroke and thromboembolic events in AF patients, particularly in those at lower risk.
•  24th April 2012
  Single scan could safely rule out pregnancy-related deep vein thrombosis
  A single ultrasound scan (known as compression ultrasonography) may safely rule out a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in women during pregnancy or in the first few weeks after giving birth (post-partum period), finds a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
•  23rd April 2012
  Additional heparin unnecessary for anticoagulated patients undergoing PCI
  Additional heparin does not provide any benefit over uninterrupted therapeutic oral anticoagulation (OAC) for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), Finnish researchers report.
•  23rd April 2012
  Once-daily oral anticoagulant receives positive Common Drug Review recommendation for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation
  The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) through the Common Drug Review (CDR), has positively recommended to Canada's provincial and other publicly funded drug plans that they reimburse the once-daily oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular AF, in whom warfarin is indicated, and who meet all of the following criteria: are unable to achieve adequate anticoagulation with warfarin and have a CHADS2 score of = 2.
•  20th April 2012
  Women don't receive the same treatment as men for heart disease the world-over
  Women with acute coronary syndrome∗ (ACS) receive inferior or less aggressive treatment compared to men, according to three large studies presented at the World Congress of Cardiology
•  18th April 2012
  Under-Treated Heart Condition That Causes a 500 Percent Increase in the Risk of Stroke Unites Medical and Patient Communities
  In a global call to action, 68 patient organisations and medical societies from around the world are asking the general public, healthcare professionals and policy makers to work with them to drive action that will prevent serious and devastating AF-related strokes. People are being encouraged to show their support by visiting the campaign website, www.signagainststroke.com, and signing the Charter.
•  17th April 2012
  Real-World Experience Reaffirms Bayer’s Rivaroxaban as Effective in Protecting Patients Against Venous Blood Clots
  The international, non-interventional open-label cohort XAMOS [...] study examined the safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban in preventing potentially dangerous venous blood clots (venous thromboembolism or VTE) in adult patients following elective total hip or knee replacement surgery by comparison to injectable enoxaparin. The results support the clinical findings of RECORD – the world’s largest trial programme assessing oral anticoagulation in the orthopaedic surgery clinical setting, which showed rivaroxaban to have consistently superior efficacy as well as a comparable safety profile to enoxaparin.
•  13th April 2012
  AF patients admitted to the hospital on weekends have worse outcomes
  Atrial-fibrillation patients admitted on the weekend tend to stay in the hospital longer, are less likely to undergo cardioversion, and are more likely to die in the hospital than similar patients admitted during the week, a new study shows.
•  12th April 2012
  Bayer's [...] Rivaroxaban Submitted for EU Marketing Authorisation for the Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism (PE) and Prevention of Recurrent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and PE
  "In the EINSTEIN-PE study we demonstrated that rivaroxaban is the first oral single-drug solution for the initial treatment of PE and long-term prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism," said Dr Kemal Malik, Member of the Bayer HealthCare Executive Committee and Head of Global Development.
•  12th April 2012
  Cost-Effectiveness of Rivaroxaban in the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism: A Canadian Analysis using the Ontario Ministry of Health Perspective
  When comparing equal durations of therapy, rivaroxaban dominated enoxaparin in the prevention of VTE events in patients undergoing THR and TKR, providing more benefit at a lower cost. Rivaroxaban was cost-effective when comparing 35 days’ prophylaxis with 14 days’ prophylaxis with enoxaparin following THR.
•  9th April 2012
  Infection May Be Trigger for Venous Thromboembolism
  Older adults recovering from an infection are at increased risk of being hospitalized for a venous thromboembolism, according to a study published online April 3 in Circulation.
•  5th April 2012
  Elderly Stroke Patients Have High Atrial Fibrillation Prevalence
  Nearly half of elderly patients who have an ischemic stroke also have atrial fibrillation, based on a review of 527 stroke patients aged 75 or older.
•  30th March 2012
  New analysis extends dabigatran MI signal to other thrombin inhibitors
  A new meta-analysis of trials of oral direct thrombin inhibitors—which included two studies of the new anticoagulant dabigatran and three studies of an older, discontinued drug, ximelagatran —shows an increased rate of MI in those receiving these agents as compared with warfarin.
•  29th March 2012
  One-a-day heart pill to stave off stroke is given the green light
  The first once-a-day anti-clotting drug for patients with an irregular heartbeat has been given the green light for use on the NHS. Rivaroxaban works as well as warfarin, a treatment based on rat poison which has been used since the 1950s, but with fewer side effects.
•  26th March 2012
  EINSTEIN PE: Rivaroxaban equals standard therapy, halves major bleeding
  The new oral anticoagulantrivaroxaban is at least as effective as the standard therapy of injected low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) followed bywarfarin for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), according to the results of theEINSTEIN PE study reported today at the American College of Cardiology 2012 Scientific Sessions and simultaneously published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
•  25th March 2012
  Dual, triple antiplatelet regimens equal for prevention of blood clots after angioplasty
  Adding cilostazol to a dual antiplatelet regimen of aspirin and clopidogrel appears to be as safe and effective as double-dose dual antiplatelet therapy alone for the prevention of blood clots after angioplasty.
•  21st March 2012
  Latest Canadian AF guidelines encourage new oral anticoagulants
  The Canadian Cardiovascular Society has updated its guidelines on atrial fibrillation to reflect some major new findings that have been reported during the past year.
•  20th March 2012
  Renal patients with ACS don't benefit from antiplatelets
  Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) do not appear to benefit from the use of antiplatelet agents for secondary prevention and may, in fact, be harmed by these drugs, according to a new meta-analysis of almost 10 000 patients.
•  16th March 2012
  Radiology: Additional MR sequences improve pulmonary embolism detection
  Adding two MRI sequences to a common MR pulmonary angiogram (MRPA) significantly improves detection of pulmonary embolism and could provide an alternative to CT angiography (CTA) for diagnosis, according to a study published in the April issue of Radiology.
•  12th March 2012
  Prolonged Versus Standard Duration Venous Thromboprophylaxis in Major Orthopedic Surgery
  Prolonged prophylaxis decreases the risk for venous thromboembolism, PE, and DVT while increasing the risk for minor bleeding in patients undergoing total hip replacement.
•  12th March 2012
  Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibitors Versus Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin to Prevent Venous Thromboembolism in Patients Undergoing Total Hip or Knee Replacement
  Compared with LMWH, lower doses of oral factor Xa inhibitors can achieve a small absolute risk reduction in symptomatic deep venous thrombosis without increasing bleeding.
•  8th March 2012
  A randomised assessment of the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and safety interaction between apixaban and enoxaparin in healthy subjects.
  Enoxaparin had no effect on the pharmacokinetics of apixaban. The increase in anti-Xa activity after co-administration was modest and appeared to be additive.
•  8th March 2012
  Atrial Fibrillation, Stroke Risks Rise in Rheumatoid Arthritis
  Rheumatoid arthritis patients had a 40% increased risk of atrial fibrillation and a 30% increased risk of stroke compared to the general population, based on data from a national cohort study in Denmark.
•  7th March 2012
  Rivaroxaban compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack: a subgroup analysis of ROCKET AF
  There was no evidence that the relative efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban compared with warfarin was different between patients who had a previous stroke or TIA and those who had no previous stroke or TIA. These results support the use of rivaroxaban as an alternative to warfarin for prevention of recurrent as well as initial stroke in patients with AF.
•  7th March 2012
  In Suspected PE, A-fib Doesn't Raise Odds of the Diagnosis
  In general, the presence of atrial fibrillation does not increase the likelihood of pulmonary embolism, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
•  2nd March 2012
  Evaluation of the Prothrombin Time for Measuring Rivaroxaban Plasma Concentrations Using Calibrators and Controls
  This study evaluated the prothrombin time (PT) assay for the measurement of plasma concentrations of rivaroxaban using calibrators and controls. The intra- and interlaboratory precision of the measurement was investigated in a field trial involving 21 laboratories.
•  29th Febuary 2012
  Stroke: Dabigatran cost-effective in AF patients with prior stroke, TIA
  Dabigatran appears to be a cost-effective treatment for preventing stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients who had a prior stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) when compared with warfarin, according to an analysis in the March issue of Stroke. But dabigatran loses that economic edge in institutions with superior warfarin management.
•  21st February 2012
  CT/CTA predicted recurrent stroke in patients with TIA, minor stroke
  In patients with transient ischemic attack and minor stroke, use of CT/CTA in an early assessment of the intracranial and extracranial vasculature predicted recurrent stroke, according to recent study results.
•  17th February 2012
  Antibiotics ‘double bleeding risk’ in warfarin patients
  A nested-case control study of 38,762 warfarin users aged 65 years or older found the risk of being admitted to hospital for bleeding increased two-fold (odds ratio 2.01) if the patient had been exposed to an antibiotic within the previous 15 days.
•  14th February 2012
  Guidance Ignored on Warfarin in Non-STEMI
  Guidelines for managing patients who are already taking warfarin when they present with a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (non-STEMI) -- which lack backing from evidence -- are not followed closely in practice, researchers found.
•  10th February 2012
  More hope for factor Xa reversal
  Another study has suggested that the anticoagulant effects of the new factor Xa inhibitors could be reversed by several hemostatic agents currently used to control excessive bleeding in other situations, such as with warfarin overdose.
•  4th February 2012
  Warfarin, Aspirin Similar in Preventing Deaths, Strokes
  Warfarin and Aspirin were similar in preventing the deaths and strokes in heart failure patients with normal heart rhythm, according to a new study.
•  2nd February 2012
  Rivaroxaban Tied to Lower Brain Bleed Risk in A-Fib
  A once daily oral dose of rivaroxaban significantly lowers the risk of intracranial hemorrhage in patients with atrial fibrillation at moderate to high risk of stroke, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's International Stroke Conference, held from Feb. 1 to 3 in New Orleans.
•  1st February 2012
  Apixaban more effective than aspirin in reducing stroke recurrence
  The oral factor Xa inhibitor apixaban was more effective than aspirin in reducing the risks for stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation who have already experienced a stroke or transient ischemic attack and are unsuitable for warfarin therapy.
•  1st February 2012
  Decision Support Tools Help Optimize Acute PE Detection
  Implementing evidence-based clinical decision support significantly improves the efficiency of computed tomographic angiography use to detect acute pulmonary embolism for patients presenting to an emergency department, according to a study published in the February issue of Radiology.
•  26th January 2012
  ACE Inhibitors Not Linked to Improved Outcomes After ACS
  For patients with acute coronary syndrome, prior chronic use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor is not independently associated with improved in-hospital outcomes, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
•  21st January 2012
  Rates of VTE after surgery vary by procedure type
  Using current venous thromboembolism preventive medications, approximately 1 in every 100 patients undergoing knee replacement and 1 in every 200 patients undergoing hip replacement will develop a VTE before hospital discharge, according to a review and analysis of previous studies.
•  20th January 2012
  Warfarin Patients With Head Trauma Need Second CT Scan
  For patients on warfarin with minor head trauma who have an initial negative computed tomography (CT) scan, 24-hour observation followed by an additional CT scan identifies the majority of cases of delayed bleeding, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
•  13th January 2012
  New AF ablation consensus doc previewed at Boston AF symposium
  The forthcoming international consensus statement on atrial fibrillation (AF) includes a new set of standardized definitions, indications classed by evidence-level, and more information about anticoagulant therapy, among other improvements to the first AF ablation consensus released in 2007.
•  9th January 2012
  Dabigatran Tied to Increase in Heart Attack Risk
  The direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran appears to raise the risk of myocardial infarction or acute coronary syndromes, according to a meta-analysis of seven randomized clinical trials published online Jan. 9 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
•  6th January 2011
  Fondaparinux Reduces Events From Superficial Vein Thromboses
  In patients with spontaneous, isolated superficial vein thrombosis, a 45-day course of fondaparinux significantly reduced the rate of systemic thromboembolic complications compared with placebo, including events linked to thrombi with extensions more than 3 cm from the saphenofemoral junction, according to results of a post hoc analysis from the CALISTO trial.
•  5th January 2011
  Risk for very late stent thrombosis, late TLR rose steadily up to 5 years after stenting
  After implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents, the risk for very late stent thrombosis and late target lesion revascularization remained steady up to 5 years, according to study data from the j-Cypher Registry.
•  19th December 2011
  Rivaroxaban approved in Europe for AF and DVT treatment
  The factor Xa oral anticoagulant rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Bayer/Johnson & Johnson) has been approved in the European Union for the prevention of nonvalvular AF-related stroke and systemic embolism and for the treatment of deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
•  14th December 2011
  Malaysia the first Asian country to use stroke medication
  KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has approved the use of rivaroxaban, a once-daily oral anticoagulant for reduction of stroke-risk in patients with sustained irregular heart rhythm.
•  13th December 2011
  ASH: Rivaroxaban Better in Practice than Expected
  The anticoagulant drug rivaroxaban (Xarelto) has turned out better in everyday clinical practice for preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in surgery patients than expected from the drug's registration studies, a German researcher said here.
•  13th December 2011
  ASH: Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis Cuts DVT Risks
  For patients with deep vein thrombosis, additional catheter-directed thrombolysis reduces the frequency of post-thrombotic syndrome and improves iliofemoral patency, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in The Lancet.
•  13th December 2011
  Warfasa: Aspirin associated with 40% reduced risk for unprovoked VTE recurrence
  Aspirin, when administered 6 to 12 months after anticoagulant therapy, was associated with a significant reduced risk for recurrence of unprovoked venous thromboembolism, according to results from the Warfasa study.
•  1st December 2011
  Blood clot risk halved for patients checking own warfarin dose
  Patients who monitor their own treatment with warfarin or other blood-thinning drugs reduce their risk of developing blood clots by half, an Oxford University study has found.
•  28th November 2011
  NEJM: Warfarin culprit for most hospitalizations in elderly; management may help
  Warfarin, the most commonly prescribed and trickiest to manage anticoagulant, is the key culprit of hospitalizations for the elderly patient population, according to a study published Nov. 24 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
•  25th November 2011
  Patients With Autoimmune Disorders Have Higher Risk Of Pulmonary Embolism
  According to a report published Online First by The Lancet, individuals admitted to hospital for an autoimmune disorder have a significantly higher risk of experiencing a pulmonary embolism during the next 12 months.
•  16th November 2011
  ELEVATE-TIMI 52: High-dose clopidogrel reduced platelet reactivity in CYP2C19*2 carriers
  Higher doses of clopidogrel, up to 300 mg daily, were more effective than standard doses in patients with the CYP2C19 gene variant, according to late-breaking research from the ELEVATE-TIMI 56 trial.
•  15th November 2011
  AHA: A-Fib in Sepsis Ups In-Hospital Stroke, Death Risk
  Patients who develop new-onset atrial fibrillation during hospitalization for severe sepsis are at an increased risk of in-hospital stroke and mortality, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
•  15th November 2011
  Thrombosis publications recommended by the Board of Advisers has been updated for September 2011
  New Thrombosis publications available for October 2011.
•  13th November 2011
  ATLAS ACS: Adding rivaroxaban to antiplatelet therapy reduced death rates in ACS
  Rivaroxaban added to standard treatment reduced the risk for CV death, MI and stroke among patients with acute coronary syndrome.
•  13th November 2011
  TRACER: Vorapaxar failed to reduce death, MI, stroke risks
  When added to standard care in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome, the first-in-class PAR-1 agonist, vorapaxar, did not reduce CV death, MI or stroke. Conversely, the drug was associated with a significantly increased risk for bleeding, compared with placebo.
•  13th November 2011
  ADOPT: Apixaban not superior to enoxaparin for thromboprophylaxis
  Treatment with 30 days of low-dose apixaban was no more effective than a shorter course of enoxaparin for the prevention of venous thromboembolism, according to results of the ADOPT trial.
•  8th November 2011
  NEW Survey of Atrial Fibrillation Patients Demonstrates Gaps in Awareness of Stroke Risk and Perceived Barriers Associated with Anticoagulation Therapy
  While most patients affected by atrial fibrillation (AF) know what a blood clot is, more than one-quarter (27%) surveyed said they were not told by their doctor or other healthcare professional that they were at risk for blood clots that can lead to a stroke due to their irregular heartbeat, according to new survey results being unveiled by the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) at the 2011 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association, in Orlando, FL, November 12 through 16.
•  4th November 2011
  FDA approves rivaroxaban for stroke prevention in AF patients
  Another oral anticoagulant will soon be available to US physicians treating patients with atrial fibrillation. Today, the US Food and Drug Administration approved rivaroxaban for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, the agency has announced.
•  1st November 2011
  Thrombosis publications recommended by the Board of Advisers has been updated for September 2011
  New Thrombosis publications available for September 2011.
•  1st November 2011
  Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Patients: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians
  The American College of Physicians (ACP) developed this guideline to present the evidence and provide clinical recommendations on prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism for hospitalized nonsurgical patients (medical patients and patients with acute stroke).
•  27th October 2011
  Clinical and genetic risk factors associated with early stent thrombosis
  Patients with certain genes or specific factors related to use of the anti-clotting drug clopidogrel are more likely to experience a blood clot within a coronary stent shortly after placement, according to a study in the October 26 issue of JAMA.
•  18th October 2011
  Costly clots common in cancer
  As many as 1 in 5 people risk developing a venous thromboembolism (VTE) within a year after undergoing treatment for some types of cancers, researchers reported at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress, held in Stockholm, Sweden, September 23-27, 2011.

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