A 65-year-old man, who had been treated with dabigatran for 66 days prior to electrical cardioversion, developed extensive intestinal, renal and cerebral thromboembolism five days after cardioversion. There is limited information available on the treatment of thromboembolism in patients being treated with dabigatran. Routine biochemical monitoring is not available. As is the case for vitamin K antagonists, anticoagulation with dabigatran is not without risks.