A new drug, Rivaroxaban, (see structure) that lowers stroke risk among people with an irregular heartbeat may give the old standby, warfarin, some competition, a new study shows.
We know that, Rivaroxaban (BAY 59-7939) is an oral anticoagulant invented and manufactured by Bayer; in a number of countries it is marketed as Xarelto. In the United States, it is marketed by Janssen Pharmaceutica. It is the first available orally active direct factor Xa inhibitor.
Rivaroxaban is well absorbed from the gut and maximum inhibition of
factor Xa occurs four hours after a dose. The effects lasts 8–12 hours,
but factor Xa activity does not return to normal within 24 hours so
once-daily dosing is possible. Now the new trial pitted the newer drug, rivaroxaban,
against warfarin in more than 14,000 patients who were randomly
assigned either warfarin or rivaroxaban. Neither the patients nor the
doctors knew who was taking which drug. As per the claim by the resarchers, new agent proved to be as effective as warfarin at reducing the risk of
ischemic stroke -- the most common kind of stroke, but it did not need
to be monitored as closely as warfarin since it is given as a
one-size-fits-all dose....
"a reasonable alternative to warfarin, with less intracranial or fatal bleeding." claims the lead researcher, Dr. Manesh R. Patel...
Ref : http://www.newsroom.heart.org/index.php?s=43&item=1191
