New perspectives and strategies in the treatment of thromboembolic diseases

In the prevention of tromboembolic events of different etiology and therefore in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) aspirin, heparins and vitamin K antagonists are traditionally applied. Depending on the indication, various advantages and disadvantages of each of these categories of drugs direct or restrict their use. Their application has achieved considerable progress in the treatment, but as some of them show undesired characteristics and considering that general prevalence of thrombotic events is generally still very high, a development of new antithrombotic drugs has been considered. In the last few years, a new generation of antithrombotic drugs with effects directed on the inhibition of thrombin (FIIa) or activated factor X (FXa) has been developed and introduced in the market. The results of the conducted clinical trials have demonstrated the potential of these drugs in the treatment and prevention of deep venous thrombosis and AF related stroke. In many countries their application for the above mentioned indications has been recently approved, while the preliminary trials in patients with ACS have showed that the use of particular new generation drugs could be a good alternative for the acute management or could be beneficial in the secondary prevention of ischemia. Here, we have presented a short overview of insights about pharmacology, results of clinical trials and possibilities of monitoring of new antithrombotic drugs.