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Dabigatran Etexilate

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Abstract

  • ▲ Dabigatran etexilate is an orally administered prodrug of dabigatran, which is a potent, concentration-dependent inhibitor of thrombus formation and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation.

  • ▲ Dabigatran etexilate pharmacokinetics were linear across a wide dosage range. There were no clinically important pharmacokinetic interactions with digoxin (a P-glycoprotein substrate), pantoprazole (a proton-pump inhibitor) or drugs that are substrates and/or inhibitors of hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes.

  • ▲ In two large, randomized, double-blind trials of the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing total hip or total knee replacement surgery, orally administered dabigatran etexilate 220 mg/day was noninferior to subcutaneous enoxaparin sodium 40 mg/day for the primary composite endpoint of total VTE events or all-cause mortality during the treatment period.

  • ▲ There were no significant differences between dabigatran etexilate and enoxaparin sodium in major VTE events and VTE-related mortality. Across trials, ≤0.5% of patients experienced a symptomatic pulmonary embolus or died.

  • ▲ Dabigatran etexilate was generally well tolerated. In patients undergoing total hip or total knee replacement surgery, there was no significant difference between dabigatran etexilate and enoxaparin sodium recipients in the incidence of major or minor bleeding.

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Notes

  1. The use of trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

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Acknowledgements and Disclosures

The manuscript was reviewed by: D. Bergqvist, Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Kir Kliniken Uppsala, Akademiska Sjukhus, Uppsala, Sweden; A.W. Fox, University of California San Diego and EBD Consulting, Carlsbad, California, USA; B.B. Jilma, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding. During the peer review process, the manufacturer of the agent under review was offered an opportunity to comment on this article. Changes resulting from any comments received were made on the basis of scientific and editorial merit.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wolters Kluwer Health ¦ Adis, 41 Centorian Drive, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, North Shore, Auckland, 0754, New Zealand

    Mark Sanford & Greg L. Plosker

  2. Wolters Kluwer Health, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA

    Mark Sanford & Greg L. Plosker

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  1. Mark Sanford
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  2. Greg L. Plosker
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Correspondence to Mark Sanford.

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Sanford, M., Plosker, G.L. Dabigatran Etexilate. Drugs 68, 1699–1709 (2008). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200868120-00007

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