Dabigatran, sold under the brand name Pradaxa among others, is an anticoagulant used to treat and prevent blood clots and to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. Specifically it is used to prevent blood clots following hip or knee replacement and in those with a history of prior clots. It is used as an alternative to warfarin and does not require monitoring by blood tests. It is taken by mouth...Wikipedia

Manufacturer's Website: Pradaxa                                                                                                                                 Average retail cost: $535/month

Bivalirudin (Bivalitroban), sold under the brand names Angiomax and Angiox and manufactured by The Medicines Company, is a direct thrombin inhibitor (DTI). Chemically, it is a synthetic congener of the naturally occurring drug hirudin (found in the saliva of the medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis). Bivalirudin is a DTI that overcomes many limitations seen with indirect thrombin inhibitors, such as heparin. ...Wikipedia

Manufacturer's Website: Angiomax                                                                                                                                  Average retail cost: *

* This prescription is provided by your healthcare provider. It cannot be filled in a pharmacy and may be expensive.