Next Gen Drugs for AFib

2 Views • 08/18/25

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Each year millions of Americans visit their doctor for a prescription to treat AFib. For years now, the most commonly used anticoagulant has been difficult for many to swallow. Now, a new line of drugs is proving simpler to use than Coumadin or Warfarin.

“Their advantage is a reduction in the likelihood of interaction with other medications, a reduction in the likelihood of interaction with certain foods or beverages that could be problematic with Warfarin or Coumadin, and importantly, the lack of need for regular blood test to monitor the control of the anticoagulant,” says Lee Memorial Health System cardiologist, Dr. Richard Chazal.
Studies find that overall, next gen drugs including the brand names Xarelto and Pradaxa were slightly more effective.
“The data thus far with the newer agents compared with Coumadin has generally shown a reduction in risk of stroke, a reduction in risk of death, a reduction in risk of bleeding into the brain,” says Dr. Chazal.
These new drugs are considered more patient-friendly. But there are still things to consider: they are more expensive, may increase the risk of stomach bleeding and at this point there are few options to reverse their effects if needed.

However, their half life in the blood stream is only about 24 hours, so they can wear off fairly rapidly in the event of bleeding,” says Dr. Chazal.
In the coming years, more people are expected to need treatment; and drugs manufacturers are keeping pace.

“There’s a lot of new developments in this area that are very promising,” says Dr. Chazal.

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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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