Drug that reverses blood thinning effects stops acute life-threatening bleeding

Reviewed by James Ives, M.Psych. (Editor)Feb 8 2019

A drug that reverses the blood thinning effects of factor Xa inhibitors effectively stopped acute life-threatening bleeding in patients taking a factor Xa inhibitor blood thinner drug, according to late breaking science presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2019, a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science and treatment of cerebrovascular disease.

The study will be simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Factor Xa inhibitor blood thinners (apixaban, rivaroxaban, or edoxaban, which are direct factor Xa inhibitors) and enoxaparin are used to prevent blood clots but can also cause or worsen serious bleeding. The agent andexanet alfa is designed to rapidly neutralize the anticoagulant effects of blood thinners in the event of acute bleeding. Researchers investigated if andexanet alfa could decrease the effect of the blood thinner and decrease bleeding assessed 12 hours after administering the reversal agent.

A total of 352 patients (average age 77, 53 percent male) were enrolled from 86 sites worldwide, after presenting to emergency rooms with primarily gastrointestinal bleeding or brain bleeding. Researchers said good or excellent hemostasis (the stopping of bleeding) occurred in 81.7 percent of patients.