Abstract

Indirect and direct anticoagulants predominantly inhibiting factor Xa

Author(s): Job Harenberg

Synthetic or natural indirect and synthetic direct factor Xa inhibitors with specific actions on only factor Xa are currently in clinical development. The aim of these compounds is to improve the antithrombotic therapy when compared with heparins and vitamin K antagonists, which are characterized by multiple and partially unpredictable actions. The indirect factor inhibitors have to be administered parenterally, which is in contrast to the direct inhibitors of factor Xa, which may be given orally. This review describes the results of recent dose studies of these two classes of inhibitors of blood coagulation, for the prevention and treatment of arterial and venous thromboembolism.