... and rivaroxaban, orally active agents that inhibit factor Xa directly. Direct thrombin inhibitors include ximelagatran and dabigatran etexilate. Although ximelagatran was withdrawn early because of liver toxicity, it provided convincing evidence that new oral anticoagulants have the potential to replace warfarin...

... fibrillation (AF) and ≧1 additional stroke risk factor were randomized to warfarin (international normalized ratio 2.0–3.0) or ximelagatran (36 mg twice daily). Over 11,346 patient-years (mean 18.5 months/patient), 184 patients developed primary events of stroke and systemic embolism (ximelagatran 1.62 vs...