Dabigatran Outperforms Warfarin in AF Patients

The only notable adverse effect was an increase in dyspepsia and gastrointestinal bleeding, affecting nearly 12% of patients, an effect explained by a formulation that pairs dabigatran with tartaric acid to make the drug orally bioavailable. Patients with pre-existing dyspepsia need treatment with a proton pump inhibitor or other gastrointestinal agent to get their symptoms resolved before starting dabigatran, Dr. Connolly said. “We'll learn to manage the GI upset,” he said.

This adverse effect “doesn't sound like a major concern,” said Dr. Antman.

'There is little doubt that dabigatran will largely be the anticoagulant of choice in the future.'

Source DR. CONNOLLY