References

1. Sun JC, Davidson MJ, Lamy A, Eikelboom JW. Anti thrombotic management of patients with prosthetic heart valves: current evidence and future trends. Lancet. 2009; 374:9689:565–576.
   [Google Scholar]
2. Samuel Z. Goldhaber: “Bridging” and mechanical heart valves: perils, promises, and predictions. Circulation. 2006; 113::470–472.
   [Google Scholar]
3. Bayard YL, Ostermayer SH, Sievert H. Alternatives to warfarin in atrial fibrillation: drugs and devices. Heart. 2008; 94::1113–1116.
   [Google Scholar]
4. Kaba RA, Ahmed O, Cannie D. ENGAGE AF: Effective anticoagulation with factor Xa in next generation treatment of atrial fibrillation. Glob Cardiol Sci Pract. 2013; 41::354–356, http://dx.doi.org/10.5339/gcsp.2013.41 .
   [Google Scholar]
5. Kaba RA, Camm AJ, Williams TM, Sharma R. Managing atrial fibrillation in the global community: The European perspective. Glob Cardiol Sci Pract. 2013; 24:2:173–184, http://dx.doi.org/10.5339/gcsp.2013.24 .
   [Google Scholar]
6. Connolly SJ, Ezekowitz MD, Yusuf S, Eikelboom J, Oldgren J, Parekh A, Pogue J, Reilly PA, Themeles E, Varrone J, Wang S, Alings M, Xavier D, Zhu J, Diaz R, Lewis BS, Darius H, Diener HC, Joyner CD, Wallentin L, RE-LY Steering Committee and Investigators . Dabigatran versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2009; 361:12:1139–1151, [Erratum, N Engl J Med 2010;363:1877.].
   [Google Scholar]
7. Eikelboom JW, Wallentin L, Connolly SJ, Ezekowitz M, Healey JS, Oldgren J, Yang S, Alings M, Kaatz S, Hohnloser SH, Diener HC, Franzosi MG, Huber K, Reilly P, Varrone J, Yusuf S. Risk of bleeding with 2 doses of dabigatran compared with warfarin in older and younger patients with atrial fi-brillation: an analysis of the Randomized Evaluation of Long-Term Anticoagulant Therapy (RE-LY) trial. Circulation. 2011; 123::2363–2372.
   [Google Scholar]
8. Van de Werf F, Brueckmann M, Connolly SJ, Friedman J, Granger CB, Härtter S, Harper R, Kappetein AP, Lehr T, Mack MJ, Noack H, Eikelboom JW. A comparison of dabigatran etexilate with warfarin in patients with mechanical heart valves: the Randomized, Phase II Study to Evaluate the Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Oral Dabigatran Etexilate in Patients after Heart Valve Re-placement (RE-ALIGN). Am Heart J. 2012; 163::931–937.
   [Google Scholar]