dabigatran etexilate at a glance
Medicine class
Direct oral anticoagulant and direct thrombin inhibitor.
Main licensed roles
Prevention or treatment of specified blood clots, including stroke prevention in eligible adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
Taking capsules
Swallow whole with water, with or without food. Do not open or chew them.
Monitoring
Routine INR testing is not used, but kidney function, blood count and clinical bleeding risk need review.
What is dabigatran etexilate used for?
The selected product is licensed for:
Preventing venous thromboembolism after elective total hip or knee replacement surgery in adults.
Preventing stroke and systemic embolism in adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and at least one specified risk factor.
Treating deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in adults, and preventing recurrence.
Treating venous thromboembolism and preventing recurrence in children from when they can swallow soft food until adulthood, using an age-appropriate formulation.
How does dabigatran etexilate work?
Dabigatran etexilate is an inactive prodrug converted to dabigatran after absorption. Dabigatran directly and reversibly blocks thrombin, an enzyme needed to form fibrin and develop a stable blood clot.
dabigatran etexilate preparations and strengths
Capsule
Route: Oral
Strengths: 75 mg, 110 mg, 150 mg
How to take dabigatran etexilate
Follow the dispensing label and prescriber's instructions. Capsules may be taken with or without food and should be swallowed whole with water. Do not open, crush or chew them because exposure to the contents can substantially increase absorption and bleeding risk. Do not stop treatment without medical advice. Tell doctors, dentists and pharmacists that you take dabigatran before procedures or receiving new medicines.
Swallow each capsule whole with water.
Do not open, chew or empty the capsule contents onto food.
Seek advice if swallowing capsules is difficult; age-appropriate alternatives may be available.
Do not stop treatment for surgery or dental work unless the responsible clinician tells you to.
dabigatran etexilate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Bleeding more readily, including nosebleeds, gum bleeding, bruising, blood in urine or heavier menstrual bleeding.
- Indigestion or upper abdominal discomfort.
- Nausea, abdominal pain or diarrhoea.
- Anaemia, which may cause tiredness, pallor, dizziness or breathlessness.
Get urgent medical advice
- Major internal bleeding, including gastrointestinal, urinary or intracranial bleeding.
- Severe or persistent bleeding, black stools, vomiting blood or coughing blood.
- Sudden severe headache, confusion, weakness, collapse or other possible signs of bleeding in the brain.
- Severe allergic reaction with facial or throat swelling, wheeze or breathing difficulty.
dabigatran etexilate in pregnancy
Dabigatran is not generally recommended during pregnancy because human information is limited and anticoagulation may cause maternal or fetal bleeding. Anyone planning pregnancy or who becomes pregnant while taking it should contact the prescriber or anticoagulant service promptly and should not stop it without advice.
dabigatran etexilate while breastfeeding
The selected product's SmPC says breastfeeding should be discontinued during treatment because clinical infant data are unavailable. UK Specialist Pharmacy Service guidance states that dabigatran may be used when clinically indicated for a full-term, healthy infant, with monitoring for bruising or blood in urine, vomit or stools. Evidence remains very limited, so specialist or prescriber assessment is needed.
dabigatran etexilate interactions
Check all prescription, non-prescription and herbal products with a clinician or pharmacist. Important examples include:
Other anticoagulants
Concurrent use is generally contraindicated because bleeding risk increases, except in defined circumstances such as supervised switching or catheter management.
Aspirin, clopidogrel and other antiplatelets
These impair clotting by another mechanism and may increase bleeding risk.
NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or naproxen
They can increase gastrointestinal and other bleeding, particularly with ongoing use.
Common questions about dabigatran etexilate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is dabigatran etexilate a blood thinner?
It is an anticoagulant. It does not literally thin the blood; it reduces clot formation by directly blocking thrombin.
Why is dabigatran etexilate prescribed for atrial fibrillation?
In eligible adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, it reduces the risk that a clot formed in the heart will cause a stroke or systemic embolism.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.