CardioExchange Archive

October 7th, 2014

Another Reason for Open Access to Clinical Trial Data?

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

A correction to the RE-LY trial results, partly brought to light because of litigation, has Harlan Krumholz wondering if this is another example of why we should have open access to clinical trial data.

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February 24th, 2014

What Is “Non-Valvular” Atrial Fibrillation?

Shengshou Hu, M.D.

Wes Fisher attempts to figure out what the latest marketing phrase – non-valvular atrial fibrillation – really means.

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November 4th, 2013

Should Plasma Levels of Dabigatran Guide How We Dose the Drug?

Stuart J Connolly, MD

Stuart J. Connolly discusses his research group’s analysis of data from the RE-LY trial, concerning the relationship between plasma concentrations of dabigatran and the risks for ischemic events and major bleeding.

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January 9th, 2012

Excess Risk for Cardiac Events Associated with Dabigatran

Larry Husten, PHD

A new meta-analysis finds that dabigatran is associated with a higher risk of myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndromes. An editorial raises questions about the enthusiasm to embrace new drugs.

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November 7th, 2010

RE-LY Substudy Finds Dabigatran Effective in Secondary Stroke Prevention

Larry Husten, PHD

A substudy of the RE-LY (Randomized Evaluation of Long-Term Anticoagulation Therapy) trial demonstrates that dabigatran is as effective in AF patients for secondary stroke prevention as it is for overall stroke prevention. In their paper in the Lancet Neurology, Hans-Christoph Diener and the RE-LY study group report the results of the trial in the predefined […]

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October 22nd, 2010

What Do I Plan to Do with Dabigatran?

Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA

1. Discuss its pros (no need for INR monitoring, less bleeding than coumadin) and cons (cost, dyspepsia) with my atrial fibrillation patients 2. Avoid its use in patients with renal dysfunction (CrCl  <60), liver disease, pregnancy or stroke within the past 6 months 3. Lament the absence of the INR monitoring requirement, which I currently […]

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October 20th, 2010

Finally: Dabigatran – A New Oral Anticoagulant Is Approved by the FDA

Westby G Fisher, MD

CardioExchange welcomes this guest post reprinted with permission from Dr. Westby Fisher, an electrophysiologist practicing at NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. This piece originally appeared on his blog, Dr. Wes. A new era of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation management has arrived. Tuesday, the FDA approved the first new […]

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October 20th, 2010

Dabigatran Is Approved

John Mandrola, MD, FACC

John Mandrola is a cardiac electrophysiologist and blogger on matters medical and general. Here is a recent post from his blog Dr John M. There can only be one cardiology story to discuss today. Tuesday, the FDA approved dabigatran (Pradaxa), an oral anticoagulant for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation. Previously, the only drug approved to prevent stroke in […]

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August 29th, 2010

Superiority of Dabigatran More Evident in Places Where INR Is Not Well Controlled

Larry Husten, PHD

At last year’s ESC meeting, the RE-LY trial heightened interest in the prospect of dabigatran as a potential replacement for warfarin. Now the RE-LY investigators have analyzed the trial data in an attempt to see whether the local standard of care has an impact on the beneficial effects of switching to dabigatran. In a presentation […]

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