Dabigatran is a newly approved oral direct thrombin inhibitor that was demonstrated to be more efficacious than warfarin for patients with atrial fibrillation. In the RE-LY trial, dabigatran reduced stroke and systemic embolism (Relative risk 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.82; P<0.001) with a similar risk of major bleeding (3.36% vs. 3.11% per year; for warfarin vs. dabigatran p=0.31). There are several potential advantages of dabigatran over warfarin, including: 1) standard dosing without need for dose adjustment; 2) no need for lab monitoring; and 3) fewer drug-drug interactions. For these reasons, dabigatran may be preferred by patients requiring chronic anti-coagulation therapy for atrial fibrillation.