BMJ 1995;311:700-701 (16 September)

Editorials

After a first episode of venous thromboembolism

Stop anticoagulant treatment after four to six weeks in patients with "reversible" risk factors

Several advances in the management of venous thromboembolism with anticoagulants have occurred over the past few years. The importance of rapid and adequate treatment with heparin is well established. So is the early introduction of oral warfarin,1 which results in patients being given heparin for shorter periods and having shorter stays in hospital compared with days gone by. Nomograms for warfarin have made initial dosing easier and more predictable.2 The widespread use of the international normalised ratio for reporting the effect of warfarin has resulted in more universally accepted recommendations regarding the desirable degree of anticoagulation in given clinical settings.

Two aspects of management require further systematic investigation: the correct place to be assigned to low molecular weight heparins and (the topic to be discussed here) the optimal duration of oral anticoagulant treatment after a first . . . [Full text of this article]


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Prandoni, P., Lensing, A. W., Prins, M. R (1998). Long-term outcomes after deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremities. Vasc Med 3: 57-60 [Abstract]  
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