Warfarin Alternatives Provide Doctors and Their Patients with More Options

The commonly used anticoagulant warfarin isnt for everybody, and newer drugs may help make sure more people are protected against dangerous blood clots.

Published: November 14, 2011

Warfarin (Coumadin) is a life-saving drug for people who have had heart attacks or who have had a blood clot in the legs (deep veing thrombosis or DVT) or lungs (pulmonary embolism or PE), or who have certain arrhythmias or heart valve disease. The widely used anticoagulant, or blood thinner, however, can be a serious risk to patients with a tendency to bleed, and requires frequent monitoring to ensure that patients are getting the proper dose.