In future, the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in thousands of patients after knee-replacement surgery may become much easier with a new agent in capsule form, called dabigatran etexilate.
Results from the RE-MODEL? trial demonstrate that dabigatran etexilate (from Boehringer Ingelheim research and development) is as effective as the low molecular-weight heparin, enoxaparin, in the primary prevention of VTE in patients undergoing elective knee replacement surgery.
No difference in bleeding rates was observed between dabigatran etexilate and enoxaparin in the RE-MODEL trial. In contrast to standard clot-preventing therapies like low molecular weight heparin, which are given as a series of subcutaneous injections, dabigatran etexilate is given orally from early in the postoperative period, needs no coagulation monitoring and no weight-adjusted dosing and therefore could offer greater convenience.
These data were presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, in Orlando, Florida today.
Bengt Eriksson, MD, PhD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital Sahlgrenska / ?stra, Gothenburg, Sweden said, ?A new thromboprophylaxis agent which is given as a pill rather than the standard injection has great potential to decrease demands on hospital time and resources.?