F10 and atrial fibrillation: The adoption of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), including dabigatran (a direct thrombin inhibitor) and the direct factor Xa (FXa) inhibitors such as apixaban, provides a viable alternative to vitamin K antagonists (VKA) or heparins for treating venous thrombosis and preventing stroke in atrial fibrillation patients in both the acute and longer-term phases.