Discontinuing Anticoagulants After Venous Thromboembolism

Findings from a prospective study indicate that most patients are at low risk for fatal PE after terminating therapy.

The decision to stop anticoagulation therapy after venous thromboembolism (VTE) depends, in large part, on the risk for subsequent fatal recurrence. To assess this risk, investigators studied 2052 patients with documented VTE — 1450 with deep venous thrombosis (DVT), 310 with pulmonary embolism (PE), and 292 with DVT and PE — who received anticoagulants for a mean duration of 6 months (range, 3–39 months) and were followed-up for a mean of 54 months (range, 1–120 months) after discontinuing therapy.

The risk for any fatal PE (including possible, but unconfirmed, cases) after stopping anticoagulation was 0.49 events per 100 person-years, and the risk for definite or probable fatal PE was 0.19 events per 100 person-years. The case-fatality rat…

Reviewing Author

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute