Fondaparinux: a novel selective factor Xa inhibitor

Fondaparinux, a selective factor Xa inhibitor, is a new pentasaccharide obtained by chemical synthesis. It binds selectively with high affinity to antithrombin Ⅲ and specifically catalyses the inactivation of factor Xa. It has been demonstrated that fondaparinux can significantly reduce the incidence of venous thromboembolism and be well tolerated by patients undergoing major orthopaedic surgery. This review focuses on the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and therapeutic trial of fondaparinux, so as to prevent venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing major orthopaedic surgery.