It has been reported that about 750,000 UK residents could end up significantly benefitting from a new type of blood-thinning medicine, which is being seen as the first giant advance in controlling blood clotting for 50 long years.

Researchers have claimed that Pradaxa, a new medicine, is more effective when it comes to treatment of thickening of blood as compared to the generally followed warfarin treatment. The drug will become officially licensed for use later during the year.

The biggest problem with warfarin, which was traditionally used as rat poison, is that its doses have to be continually monitored in order to keep harmful bleeding at bay. Also, the effects of the drug might be reduced when certain foods are consumed. In addition, warfarin tends to interfere and interact with other medicines.

Pradaxa ends up avoiding many of the complications posed by warfarin, and it works by "reversing and inhibiting the effects of thrombin", the substance held responsible for blood clotting.

"I think we're talking about preventing thousands of strokes a year if this drug becomes widely available. It's likely in time that we will look back at warfarin as an anachronism", said Dr. Adrian Brady, Consultant Cardiologist at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.