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2025 Guidelines for direct oral anticoagulants: a practical guidance on the prescription, laboratory testing, peri‐operative and bleeding management
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

2025 Guidelines for direct oral anticoagulants: a practical guidance on the prescription, laboratory testing, peri‐operative and bleeding management

Huyen A. Tran, Eileen Merriman, Ross Baker, Jennifer Curnow, Laura Young, Chee Wee Tan, Simon McRae and Sanjeev D. Chunilal
Internal medicine journal, Vol.55(7), pp.1174-1183
2025
PMID: 40448969
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Published (Version of Record) Open Access CC BY-NC-ND V4.0

Abstract

direct oral anticoagulant major bleeding perioperative anticoagulation reversal agent
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are widely prescribed to prevent and treat venous and arterial thromboembolism, supported by published evidence, and are preferred over warfarin in many guidelines. Although the risk of major bleeding, in particular intracranial haemorrhage (ICH), is decreased with DOACs, gastrointestinal bleeding is increased with some DOACs, and the case fatality rate of bleeding remains high. Therefore, it is important to (i) prescribe DOACs appropriately, (ii) have strategies to manage major bleeding including the use of specific reversal agents and (iii) interrupt and resume DOACs for procedures. The main recommendations are as follows: (i) Select the appropriate dose of DOAC according to indications and consider patient factors to minimise bleeding risks; (ii) DOACs do not require routine laboratory testing; (iii) for life‐threatening uncontrollable bleeding, specific agents can be used to reverse the anticoagulant effects of DOACs; and (iv) DOACs can be interrupted for planned procedures without the need for ‘bridging’ with low‐molecular‐weight heparin (LMWH). The anticoagulant effects of DOACs can be reversed with specific agents, such as andexanet for apixaban and rivaroxaban and idarucizumab for dabigatran. If not available, pro‐haemostatic agents such as prothrombin complex concentrates or activated prothrombin complex concentrates can be considered. DOACs can be interrupted and resumed for procedures without the need for ‘bridging’ with LMWH.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.94 Cardiac Arrhythmia
1.94.95 Atrial Fibrillation Management
Web Of Science research areas
Hematology
ESI research areas
Clinical Medicine
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