A Clearinghouse for Information about Blood Clots (DVT/)PE) and Clotting Disorders (thrombophilia) provided as a public service by the University of North Carolina Blood Research Center

Author: Clot Connect

  • Rivaroxaban (Xarelto): Advisory Board to the FDA Recommends Approval for Atrial Fibrillation

    The external advisory board to the FDA recommended today (Sept 8th, 2011) to approve Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) for the stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.  More details about the vote can be found here.  Today’s recommendation is contrary to the one given by an internal FDA review committee which had recommended 2 days ago to NOT approve the…

  • Rivaroxaban (Xarelto): FDA Advisory Board Recommends Against Approval for Atrial Fibrillation

    Surprise to many people today:  An FDA staff report released today (Sept 6th, 2011) states that FDA reviewers recommend against the approval of rivaroxaban (Xarelto) for the atrial fibrillation indication.  A detailed discussion with reasons for the recommendation can be found here.  The main reason: It has not been shown that rivaroxaban is as effective as…

  • Minor Cuts and Nosebleeds on Anticoagulants

    When a patient on warfarin bleeds more than usual it is, of course, important to make sure that the INR is not supra-therapeutic.  And, if the INR is too high, warfarin therapy needs to be adjusted and other treatment (vitamin K, etc) may have to be employed depending on the degree of INR elevation and…

  • Apixaban (Eliquis) News – Plus Update On The Big Four New Oral Anticoagulants

    There is a lot of appropriate interest and excitement today about one of the four new oral anticoagulants in development – Apixaban (Eliquis). Data from the large ARISTOTLE trial were published today in the NEJM, showing that in patients with atrial fibrillation Apixaban was more effective in preventing stroke and systemic thromboembolism, caused less major bleeding, and resulted…

  • Pregnancy and Venous Thromboembolism: Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment

    A new guideline about the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of DVT and PE associated with pregnancy was published today by ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) in its respected series of Practice Bulletins.  The bulletin includes detailed reference to thromboprophylaxis in pregnant women with thrombophilia.

  • Tattoos on Anticoagulants

    At times, patients on anticoagulants are considering getting a tattoo.  I am not aware of any medical publication assessing the amount of bleeding with tattooing on warfarin or other anticoagulants.

  • Thrombophilia and Insurance

    Liz Varga, Certified Genetic Counselor, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH writes…. Some patients or their family members may be concerned about genetic testing for thrombophilias for fear of genetic discrimination.  Fortunately in the United States, laws are in place that can alleviate this concern. 

  • Prescription assistance: when you can’t afford a medication

    Beth Waldron, Program Director of the Clot Connect project, writes…. Approximately 1 in 5 people don’t take a medication a doctor has prescribed because they can’t afford to pay for it [ref 1].  While the cost of some outpatient “blood thinning” therapies (anticoagulants) can be substantial, failure to take a blood thinning medication as prescribed…