In the last ten years, several oral anticoagulant drugs have become available for use in indications related to prophylaxis and treatment of venous and arterial thromboembolism. Direct oral anticoagulant drugs (DOACs) or new oral anticoagulant drugs are medicines that achieve their anticoagulant effect by the direct inhibition of thrombin (dabigatran) or by the direct inhibition of factor Xa (rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban and betrixaban). Vitamin K antagonists have been anticoagulants of the first choice for a long time, but DOACs have many advantages in related to VKA, such as simpler dosage, rapid onset and interruption of action, a predictable dose response, few drug–drug interactions and no laboratory monitoring is required. However, they are contraindicated in patients with severe renal impairment and their price is several times higher than warfarin. In this dissertation, the pharmacological characteristics of DOACs, their efficacy, safety and data from pivotal studies that support currently approved indications are described. The pharmacokinetic characteristics of available DOACs (dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban, betrixaban) differ substantially as regards oral bioavailability, plasma protein binding, type and phase of biotransformation and way of elimination. In recent years, specific antidotes: andexanet-alpha for rivaroxaban and apixaban and idarucizumab for dabigatran are available. The ability to stop the action of anticoagulants, when necessary, further affects the greater safety of prescribing and administration of these drugs.