Idarucizumab (Praxbind) – a revolution in the treatment of bleeding in patients treated with dabigatran

Abstract:

In clinical studies, direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran demonstrated a favorable safety profile with equal or better prevention of thromboembolic events compared to warfarin. Despite better outcomes in bleeding patients treated with dabigatran compared to warfarin, a lack of ‘antidote’ i.e. specific reversal agent, which would surely and quickly neutralize its anticoagulant effect, has until now been considered as one of the most important negative side effects. With the arrival of idarucizumab a significant turning point has been achieved in the approach for the treatment of patients treated using anticoagulant drugs, who require urgent surgical or interventional procedures or have been experiencing uncontrolled bleeding. Idarucizumab reverses the effect of dabigatran in 100% of patients within four hours, its onset is within a few minutes while achieving its almost full effect after taking half of a dose. 

Key words:
hemorrhage; dabigatran; idarucizumab; warfarin