The range of anticoagulants has been very active recently with the development 
of new compounds including injectable anti-Xa such as fondaparinux, and new oral 
drugs which can be divided into anti-IIa with dabigatran, and anti-Xa, such as 
rivaroxaban and apixaban still in the development stage. Others are coming 
forward. They are more convenient to use and do not require routine coagulation 
monitoring. However, several points need to be clarified and the place for each 
drug remains to be determined. In case of massive bleeding, management is 
unclear and none of these newer agents has a specific antidote that completely 
reverses its anticoagulant effect.