Resumen:
Thrombotic vascular disorders represent the main cause of mortality in industrialized and developing countries. Activation of the hemostasis with generation of fibrin inside the vessel provokes the reduction of blood flow with the consequent ischemia and thrombosis. The basis of the antithrombotic treatment is anticoagulant drugs, classically represented by low molecular weight heparins and fondaparinux or unfractionated heparin parenterally in the initial phase and the vitamin K antagonists (acenocoumarol [Sintrom® or warfarin]) orally, as long-term strategy. In the last decade, new oral thrombin inhibitors (dabigatran) and of the Xa factor (rivaroxaban and apixaban) whose advantages are that they do not require monitoring and that they have scarce pharmacological interactions have been developed. Recent clinical studies demonstrate their utility in the prevention of venous thromboembolism in major orthopedic surgery and in the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation patients and those under treatment for venous thromboembolism. It is likely that in the short term these drugs will replace the vitamin K antagonists in different clinical scenarios that occur with thrombosis.
