The last few years have seen new oral anticoagulant treatments emerge with a major advantage over conventional vitamin K antagonism with warfarin: they have a predictable dose response that negates the need for laboratory monitoring. Dabigatran (Pradaxa), a direct thrombin inhibitor, and rivaroxaban are two such medications licenced for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation. Rivaroxaban (Xiralto) is a direct inhibitor of Factor Xa. The …