New antithrombotic drugs and European approval processes

Considering dabigatran and non-valvular atrial fi brillation in a European population taking vitamin K antagonists (about 60% of patients with atrial fi brillation),5 it could be estimated that the reduction in relative risk (25%) with the use of dabigatran could have prevented 30 000 strokes since the results of the RE-LY study were presented.1 Moreover, we can put forward the hypothesis that about half the eligible patients who were not actually prescribed vitamin K antagonists might benefi t from this new therapy.