rivaroxaban and Coronary-Occlusion

The occurrence of distal coronary lesions causing simultaneous occlusion of two coronary arteries in the setting of ST elevation myocardial infarction is a rare occurrence. This can occur due to simultaneous plaque rupture at more than one site or embolisation in coronary arteries. We describe a case of a middle-aged man who presented with acute inferoposterior lateral wall ST elevation myocardial infarction with simultaneous occlusion of distal left anterior descending artery and distal left circumflex artery on angiogram. The patient was treated with intracoronary streptokinase, followed by glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitor and Factor X inhibitor (Rivaroxaban) with full resolution of flow in the distal vessels. Thus, coronary lesions, not amenable to stenting, can be dealt percutaneously, using a combination of old and newer pharmacological agents without stenting.

Topics: Coronary Angiography; Coronary Disease; Coronary Occlusion; Electrocardiography; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; Rivaroxaban; Streptokinase; Treatment Outcome

Rivaroxaban, an oral, direct factor Xa inhibitor, has been approved in several countries for thromboprophylaxis after elective hip or knee arthroplasty based on favorable benefit-risk profile and improved efficacy compared to enoxaparin in reducing the composite of symptomatic and asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis, nonfatal pulmonary embolism, and all-cause mortality. Given the potential therapeutic utility of factor Xa inhibition in arterial thrombosis, we evaluated the antithrombotic activity of rivaroxaban in a model of arterial thrombosis in anesthetized rats in which thrombotic occlusion was induced by electrolytic injury of the carotid artery. Rivaroxaban, 0.3, 1 or 3 mg/kg, enoxaparin, 10 mg/kg, or vehicle were infused intravenously to anesthetized rats and time to occlusion as well as coagulation parameters monitored following carotid electrolytic injury. Although the lowest dose of rivaroxaban (0.3 mg/kg) did not prolong occlusion time compared to vehicle, rivaroxaban at 1 or 3 mg/kg prevented occlusion in all vessels during the 30-min observation period (median occlusion time >30 min), which was greater than that following a single dose of enoxaparin infused at a dose of 10 mg/kg (median time to occlusion = 21.6 min). Rivaroxaban was also effective following oral dosing at 3 mg/kg. Rivaroxaban's antithrombotic activity was paralleled by dose-dependent increases in prothrombin time (PT) and activated clotting time (ACT) without significant changes in activated partial thromboplastin time. Rivaroxaban also markedly increased Russell's viper venom time (RVVT) and decreased thrombin-antithrombin complex concentrations at all doses. These findings support the potential utility of rivaroxaban in arterial thrombotic disorders such as acute coronary syndrome, stroke and peripheral arterial disease.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Anticoagulants; Blood Coagulation; Carotid Artery Injuries; Coronary Occlusion; Coronary Thrombosis; Disease Models, Animal; Electrolytes; Enoxaparin; Factor Xa; Factor Xa Inhibitors; Fibrinolytic Agents; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Morpholines; Partial Thromboplastin Time; Prothrombin Time; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rivaroxaban; Thiophenes