You can help prevent deep vein thrombosis that may lead to a pulmonary embolism in your orthopedic patients by giving them a once-a-day pill called Xarelto (rivaroxaban), a new blood thinner tablet shown to reduce deadly blood clots in patients who've undergone knee and hip replacements. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug, which has been available in Europe since 2008, on July 1.
Rivaroxaban is the first U.S.-approved drug that works by blocking a clotting protein called factor Xa. That's in contrast to older blood thinners that work by preventing platelets from sticking together. Rivaroxaban will serve as an alternative to the popular injection Lovenox, which is the standard treatment for patients who've undergone orthopedic surgery. Rivaroxaban had greater efficacy than Sanofi's Lovenox (enoxaparin) in head-to-head trials and similar rates of side effects such as major internal bleeding, says Johnson & Johnson.
Rivaroxaban is approved for use at a 10mg dose, with 1 tablet taken once-daily for 35 days following hip replacement and for 12 days following knee replacement surgery.
"Shorter hospital stays following hip and knee replacement have made prevention of venous blood clots" a concern for patients, says Paul Chang, a vice president for J&J's Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit, in the statement. "Xarelto provides a safe and effective oral treatment option."
Dan O'Connor
