Laboratory tests and the new oral anticoagulants

New oral anticoagulants are ready to enter the scene on a massive basis for the treatment/prophylaxis of many cardiovascular diseases. Although they can be prescribed without dose-adjustment based on laboratory testing, the laboratory is still an essential partner that may assist clinicians for the management of anticoagulated patients. In principle, there are many tests that can be used to evaluate the anticoagulant effect of the new drugs, but the choice should be made among those that are more readily available in emergency and that are easy to run. Linearity of dose-response and responsiveness to increasing dose in addition to standardization are other important issues to consider. This article is aimed at reviewing the current tests, their characteristics and the most appropriate choice. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.