Rivaroxaban Can Be Reversed, But Not Dabigatran

We all hate coumadin - difficult to control levels and causes life-threatening bleeding, but at least we can measure its activity and reverse it in a straightforward manner.  However, coumadin's days are at an end with the approval of the new oral anticoagulants - and the two most extensively evaluated are dabigatran (direct thrombin inhibitor) and rivaroxaban (factor Xa inhibitor).

This is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the reversal of dabigatran and rivaroxaban using prothrombin complexe concentrates - which, most importantly, have been theorized to be the only used agent for dabigatran.  Their results - in groups of 12 healthy volunteers - is that PCCs have no effect on any of the laboratory clotting parameters for dabigatran, but fully reverse rivaroxaban.

So, while there are no studies as of yet describing the acute reversal of either of these agents in a clinical situation, this is definitely concerning that we still have no theoretical way to treat life-threatening bleeding with dabigatran.

"Reversal of Rivaroxaban and Dabigatran by Prothrombin Complex Concentrate."

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21900088