Treatment of VTE — Is There an Optimal Anticoagulation Strategy?

Not overall, suggests a network meta-analysis, but individual patient considerations may tip the balance.

Despite the numerous available anticoagulant treatments for acute venous thromboembolism (VTE), no direct comparisons of these strategies have been published. Now, researchers have conducted a network meta-analysis review aiming to compare clinical outcomes and safety associated with different anticoagulation treatments for acute VTE. The eight anticoagulation options compared were unfractionated heparin (UFH), low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) or fondaparinux in combination with vitamin K antagonists (VKA), LMWH with dabigatran or edoxaban, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and LMWH alone. Of 45 articles (including nearly 45,000 patients) analyzed, 22 compared the UFH-VKA combination with LMWH-VKA. All but edoxaban are FDA-approved for treating VTE…

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

Treatment of VTE — Is There an Optimal Anticoagulation Strategy?

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Reviewing Author