New oral anticoagulants and venous thromboembolic disease

New oral anticoagulants and venous thromboembolic disease For more than 50 years, the anticoagulant therapy by anti vitamin K (AVK) has provided substantial clinical benefit in terms of morbidity and mortality reduction in several diseases, such as venous thromboembolic disease, to the detriment of hemorrhagic risk, increased by co-morbidities, age and polymedication. The narrow therapeutic window, the long delay of action, many drug and food interactions and the need for regular monitoring are limits to the use of AVK. The need to lower hemorrhagic risk with an anticoagulant molecule at least as effective as AVK, or even more effective and safer, has boosted the research into improving anticoagulant therapy in several potential indications including treatment of venous thromboembolic disease. Thus, the reduced variability of the anticoagulant effect can lead to treatment simplification with the use of fixed-dose, without biological monitoring, environmental interactions or specific toxicity.