Bleeding complications and anticoagulant overdose

Anticoagulant therapy is one of the most widely used treatment modalities. It is the mainstay of prevention and treatment of thrombotic

events. Unjustified omission of adequate anticoagulant prophylaxis is currently seen as a medical error. Bleeding is the most feared complication

of anticoagulant therapy. A certain advantage of heparins and warfarin is the experience with these antithrombotic drugs in a

broad medical population and the existence of a specific antidote that, when needed, allows a rapid reversal of the anticoagulant effect.

Advantages of novel anticoagulant agents (direct and indirect inhibitors of coagulation factors Xa and/or IIa) include a more targeted

anticoagulant effect and a lower risk of drug and food interactions; there are certain drawbacks such as limited options for laboratory

monitoring and the non-existence of a specific antidote. The review article presents the risk of overdose and bleeding complications

with available anticoagulant agents and the current options for the management of these complications.

rivaroxaban.

Keywords: anticoagulant therapy, bleeding, warfarin, heparin, low molecular weight heparin, fondaparinux, refludan, dabigatran,