Heart
Managementof this patient group remains difficult and controversial. There is no ideal anticoagulation regimen as there are inherent risks and benefits of each approach for both mother and foetus. There are limited data on optimal treatment strategy for an individual patient.
FDA approves licensing of edoxaban (Savaysa) tablets
US Food and Drug Administration
The FDA has approved edoxaban, a factor Xa inhibitor, to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
Annals of Internal Medicine
This cohort study found a 6.7% per patient-year (PPY) risk for recurrent VTE in patients with a first unprovoked proximal DVT or PE who had a negative d-dimer test result during anticoagulant therapy and 1 month after withdrawal; the recurrence risk was higher in men (9.7% PPY).
European Heart Journal
The authors of this discussion conclude it may be necessary to exclude aspirin for stroke prevention in AF (without comorbid conditions requiring its use) from all AF guidelines, as done by NICE, to remove the 'soft option' of prescribing a drug that is neither effective nor safe.
The above records have been identified by UKMi and feature in the NICE Medicines Awareness Service. Further details on this service can be found at:
http://www.evidence.nhs.uk/about-evidence-services/content-and-sources/medicines-information/new-medicines-awareness-services