Anticoagulation and BMI: effect of high body weight on the safety and efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants

Obesity is an epidemic with rising prevalence, and obese patients are predisposed to comorbid conditions that increase risk for thromboembolic events. It is critical to identify safe and effective anticoagulation therapy for use in this population. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are a preferred option for anticoagulation in patients of normal weight due to many benefits and equivalent safety and efficacy to their vitamin K antagonist counterparts. However, the safety and efficacy of DOACs in obese patients is not well understood. This review describes recent studies on the pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy, and clinical outcomes of the DOACs apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban and dabigatran in obese patient populations. DOACs may be a beneficial alternative to vitamin K antagonist therapy in obese patient populations. Plain language summary: The incidence of obesity within the USA is on the rise, as is that of the medical conditions that often accompany it. These include conditions that can predispose individuals to forming clots in the blood, such as atrial fibrillation, which is a form of an abnormal heartbeat, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is caused by fat buildup around the liver. Therefore, it is important that we have effective medicines that can prevent clotting in an obese patient population. Direct oral anticoagulants are a new, preferred medication option for this, but it is unclear how safe or effective they are in obese people; there is some concern that because of increased body weight, individuals may not get enough medicine to effectively prevent clots from forming, which would ultimately put them at risk for clotting and serious adverse health outcomes such as stroke. This review describes recent studies on the use of the direct oral anticoagulants apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban and dabigatran in obese patients, and whether they are a safe and effective form of anticoagulation in this population.