Apixaban for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Until recently, pharmaceutical options for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation were restricted to aspirin or vitamin K antagonist therapy. In recent years development has been underway for alternatives. Apixaban, a direct Factor Xa inhibitor, is orally dosed, target selective and has few known drug or food interactions. As such, it is a member of a new generation of anticoagulants expected to revolutionize the way we approach anticoagulation for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Apixaban has been studied in Phase II and Phase III trials for a variety of indications. The AVERROES trial established apixaban as superior to aspirin for stroke reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation for whom vitamin K antagonist therapy is unsuitable. The recent ARISTOTLE trial found apixaban to be superior to warfarin for stroke prevention in a wide range of patients with atrial fibrillation, with significantly lower bleeding risk, and lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Keywords::

• apixaban
• atrial fibrillation
• direct Factor Xa inhibitor
• new anticoagulants
• stroke

Financial & competing interests disclosure

G Flaker reports receiving payment for serving as a consultant on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s advisory board. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.