Blood clot drug reduces stroke risk

A drug currently used to prevent blood clots in patients who have had joint replacement surgery has been shown to be superior to warfarin treatment in reducing stroke and embolism risk in patients with the heart condition atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm condition, affecting around 1% of the total population, and up to 10% of people over 80.

People with AF are at increased risk of getting blood clots, which raise stroke risk by up to seven times.

Results from a major international trial on the anticoagulant drug, Pradaxa, showed that giving it to patients twice daily reduced the risk of stroke and embolism by 34% in patients with AF compared to giving patients warfarin, without increasing the risk of major bleeding.

Heart experts welcomed the findings of the Re-Ly trial on the new drug as a move away from the traditional warfarin anticoagulant treatment, which can cause  problems for patients and healthcare staff alike.

Dr Peter Crean, consultant cardiologist at Dublin's St James's Hospital, said the results indicated that an oral treatment was now available which offered superior stroke protection with less bleeding than with the traditional warfarin therapy.

Dr Crean said the new treatment could be given without the need for regular blood monitoring with warfarin therapy, which is a significant burden to patients, GPs and hospital staff.

Dr Dermot Power, consultant geriatrician at Dublin's Mater Hospital, said the need for lifelong blood tests and dose adjustments, as well as the numerous food and drug interactions with warfarin, have impacted on patients' quality of life.

He said the new results showed that Pradaxa is more effective in preventing stroke in addition to being easier for patients to take, and added that one in six deaths from AF and stroke caused by brain bleeds could now be prevented.

The study results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, were presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona.

[Posted: Thu 03/09/2009]