FDA Approves Xarelto for Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
- The FDA has approved Xarelto (rivaroxaban) for treating atrial fibrillation, a common heart disorder increasing stroke risk.
- Xarelto, developed by Johnson & Johnson and Bayer, is a once-daily pill already approved for preventing strokes post-hip and knee replacements.
- The drug's approval offers a new treatment option for afib patients, who have primarily relied on warfarin, a difficult-to-manage blood thinner.
- Xarelto functions by blocking clotting protein factor Xa and carries a boxed warning about stroke risk if discontinued without physician advice.
