Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) is an oral blood thinner that was approved by the US FDA in October 2010.  Pradaxa is in the class of anticoagulant (anti-clotting) blood thinners called “direct thrombin inhibitors”. The drug is used to prevent serious blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation.  Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition in which the upper chambers of the heart (atria) fail to contract fully causing potential stagnant blood and clot formation.

Patients with atrial fibrillation are often candidates for long term anticoagulation.  Prior to the release of Pradaxa these patients were either treated with oral Coumadin, low molecular weight heparin, or less effective antiplatelet agents such as aspirin.

Recently, studies have shown that patients on Pradaxa have a 33% higher risk of heart attack when compared to previously prescribed medications.  The FDA is currently investigating an unusually high number of reports of serious bleeding linked to Pradaxa’s use.