CardioExchange Archive

August 30th, 2011

Is Warfarin Still the First Choice in Atrial Fibrillation?

Stephen Fleet, MD

There’s an old maxim in medicine that one shouldn’t be the first to prescribe a new drug, nor the last. A fascinating debate between Michael Ezekowitz from the U.S. and Felicita Andreotti from Italy highlighted the differences between warfarin and the newer oral anticoagulants (NOACs) apixaban, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran. Even Dr. Ezekowitz, the warfarin protagonist for purposes […]

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August 28th, 2011

A “Straight A” Trial: Answers About Apixaban from ARISTOTLE

Samuel Goldhaber, MD

Several important questions about the relative safety and efficacy of apixaban versus warfarin in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation have been answered.

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August 24th, 2011

ARISTOTLE at ESC: What to Look for When the Data Are Unveiled

Samuel Goldhaber, MD

At 11:54 a.m. on August 28 in Paris (5:54 a.m. U.S. east coast time), I can almost imagine a huge drop in cell phone call volume as the ARISTOTLE presentation begins at ESC. The ESC exposition site is right next to Charles de Gaulle airport. Will a temporary “no fly zone” be declared? We know […]

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July 14th, 2011

Recurrent Arterial Thrombosis plus GI Bleeding in an Elderly Woman

Faiza Hashmi, MD and James Fang, MD

An 85-year-old woman with a history of hypertension and Crohn’s disease presented with severe pain in the left hand and was admitted to the hospital. Examination revealed a diminished left-radial pulse; arterial Doppler imaging showed a thrombus in the radial artery. The patient underwent surgical thrombectomy. The workup, including a hypercoagulability profile, was negative. Transthoracic […]

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June 22nd, 2011

Apixaban (Eliquis) Meets Primary Endpoint in ARISTOTLE

Larry Husten, PHD

Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb said that their new oral direct Factor Xa drug apixaban, which will be marketed under the brand name of Eliquis, had met the primary endpoint of the ARISTOTLE study. The Apixaban for the Prevention of Stroke in Subjects With Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE) study was designed to compare the factor Xa inhibitor apixaban with […]

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April 5th, 2011

MAGELLAN: Higher Bleeding Rates Cloud Rivaroxaban’s Effect in VTE Prevention in Acutely Ill Medical Patients

Larry Husten, PHD

The novel anticoagulant rivaroxaban is successful in preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in acutely ill medical patients, but a high bleeding rate means the drug probably won’t be used for this indication. Alexander Cohen, presenting the results of the MAGELLAN trial at the ACC in New Orleans, explained by way of background that 50% to 70% […]

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March 18th, 2011

Dabigatran Dialogue: Two Experts Answer Our Questions and Yours

Samuel Goldhaber, MD and Elaine Marie Hylek, MD, MPH

In a series of blog posts on CardioExchange, Samuel Goldhaber, Director of the Venous Thromboembolism Research Group in the Cardiovascular Division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, has been guiding us on best practices around dabigatran. Recently, he teamed up with Elaine Hylek, Director of the Thrombosis and Anticoagulation Service at Boston University School of Medicine, […]

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February 15th, 2011

Dabigatran for Patients with AFib: Putting the Updated Recs into Practice

Samuel Goldhaber, MD

CardioExchange welcomes Samuel Zachary Goldhaber, MD, Director of the Venous Thromboembolism Research Group and Medical Co-Director of the Anticoagulation Management Service at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He answers practical questions from the CardioExchange editors about newly updated recommendations on the use of dabigatran in patients with atrial fibrillation, issued by the American College […]

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November 18th, 2010

APPRAISE-2 Apixaban in ACS Study Discontinued Due to Increased Bleeding

Larry Husten, PHD

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced on Thursday evening the discontinuation of APPRAISE-2, the phase 3 trial comparing apixaban to placebo in patients with acute coronary syndrome. The decision was based on a recommendation from the data monitoring committee based on “a clinically important increase in bleeding among patients randomized to apixaban,” according to the company press release. Robert […]

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November 15th, 2010

ROCKET AF Hits Chicago

Larry Husten, PHD

ROCKET AF hit the AHA on Monday morning. Results of ROCKET AF (Stroke Prevention Using the Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibitor Rivaroxaban Compared With Warfarin in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation) had been the topic of intense speculation and interest. The trial showed that the experimental factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban was as effective as warfarin in […]

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