Bleeding management in patients with direct oral anticoagulants

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Abstract

Bleeding events in patients under direct oral anticoagulation (DOAC) can be life-threating but are commonly not related to drug overdose. However, a relevant DOAC plasma concentration impairs the hemostasis and should therefore be ruled out immediately after hospital admission. The effect of DOAC is typically not visible in standard coagulation tests such as activated partial thrombin time or thromboplastin time. Specific anti-Xa or anti-IIa assays allow a specific drug monitoring, but they are too time-consuming in critical bleeding events and typically not available 24 h/7 d in routine care. Recent advantages in point-of-care (POC) testing might improve patient care by early exclusion of relevant DOAC levels, but sufficient validation is still lacking. POC urine analysis help to exclude DOAC in emergency patients, but does not provide a quantitative information about plasma concentration. POC viscoelastic testing (VET) can determine the DOAC effect on clotting time and helps further to reveal other concomitant bleeding disorders in emergency, e.g., factor deficiency or hyperfibrinolysis. If a relevant plasma concentration of the DOAC is assumed or was proven by either laboratory assays or POC testing, restoration of factor IIa or factor IIa activity is key for effective hemostasis. Limited evidence suggests that specific reversals for DOAC, e.g., idarucizumab for dabigatran and andexanet alfa for apixaban or rivaroxaban, might be superior to increasing thrombin generation by administration of prothrombin complex concentrates. To determinate, if DOAC reversal is indicated or not, time from last intake, anti-Xa/dTT values or results from POC tests can be considered. This experts’ opinion provides a feasible decision algorithm for clinical practice.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)707-715
Number of pages9
JournalMinerva anestesiologica
Volume89
Issue number7-8
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85164233954
Mendeley 3c5ae72a-0307-300c-9e0a-5c8822c672c5

Keywords

DFG Classification of Subject Areas according to Review Boards

Subject groups, research areas, subject areas according to Destatis

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Anesthesiology, Blood coagulation, Point-of-care testing

Library keywords