Anticoagulant reversal refers to the process of stopping the effect of anticoagulant medications in order to reduce the risk of bleeding or to treat bleeding complications that have already occurred.
The different types of anticoagulant medication: warfarin, heparin, and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) like dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban.
The reversal agents for anticoagulants depend on the type of medication involved.
Warfarin can be reversed with fresh frozen plasma, vitamin K, and prothrombin complex concentrates.
Heparin can be reversed with protamine sulfate.
DOACs have specific reversal agents approved by the FDA, such as idarucizumab for dabigatran, andexanet alfa for rivaroxaban and apixaban.