by Adam Karalus (Physician Assistant Student, Daemen College)
Who gets indefinite anticoagulation following deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or venous thromboembolism (VTE) ?
1. Patients who survive massive pulmonary embolism.
2. Patients who have an unprovoked deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or venous thrommboembolism (VTE), especially a second episode (recurrent DVT or VTE).
3. Patient swho have a DVT or pulmmonary embolism with active cancer,
4. Patients with antiphospholipid syndrome, antithrombin deficiency or double hit thrombophilia (2 clotting disorders).
5. Patients with low or moderate bleeding risk.
Patients with recurrent unprovoked VTE, VTE associated with persistent malignancy or potent thrombophilia (antithrombin deficiency, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome or “double-hit” thrombophilias), likely have a risk for recurrent VTE > 10% per year.
Source: Rodger MA and Le Gal G. Who should get long-term anticoagulant therapy for venous thromboembolism and with what? Blood Adv 2018; 2(21): 3081-3087.