Dabigatran for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) NICE, the government body tasked with producing guidelines for doctors states:
1. Dabigatran can be considered for any patient with risk factors for stroke and non-valvular AF.
2. The dose is 150mg twice daily except in the elderly, where 110mg twice daily could be used.
3. It can’t be used if the kidneys are in bad shape, there is active bleeding, liver disease 4. It can’t be used with ketoconazole, tacrolimus, cyclosporine.
5. If warfarin is controlling the INR well, benefit might be less 6. Cost is £2.52 per day.
Other choices, such as rivaroxaban, apixaban, and left atrial appendage closure are available.
http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/12225/56899/56899.pdf
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