Anticoagulants belong to the most frequently used drugs, in therapy and prevention of thromboembolic events as complication of cardiovascular diseases. Anticoagulant agents play an important role in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with systemic thromboembolic disorders in patients with acute myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart diseases and after the implantation of artificial or biological heart valves. A major problem of the surgical patients is venous thromboembolism and its most dangerous complication- pulmonary embolism, anticoagulants are also the basis for mandatory perioperative thromboprophylaxis. Anticoagulants administered parenterally are mainly used in hospital in case of acute thromboembolic. Oral anticoagulants belong to the everyday doctor’s practice and are preferred in the long-term treatment. In the present review we discuss the currently available evidence supporting the use of traditional and especially new anticoagulants and perspectives that these new drugs may open up in the next few years.