Laboratory monitoring or measurement of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs): Advantages, limitations and future challenges

The Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) represent a new generation of antithrombotic agents, providing direct inhibition of either thrombin (factor IIa; FIIa) or activated factor X (FXa). Around the globe, their use is progressively rising, as these new agents replace the historical anticoagulants (heparin and vitamin K antagonists including warfarin) for various clinical conditions in medical practice. Other acronyms used to designate DOACs include TSOAC (target specific oral anticoagulants) and NOAC (novel; or non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants). Currently available DOACS include dabigatran (FIIa inhibitor), along with rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban and betrixaban (FXa inhibitors).