Venous Disease

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which constitutes pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, is a common disorder associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Landmark trials have shown that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are as effective as conventional anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in prevention of VTE recurrence and associated with less bleeding. This has paved the way for the recently published guidelines to change their recommendations in favor of DOACs in acute and long-term treatment of VTE in patients without cancer...

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), encompassing pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT), is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of particular relevance for intensivists and hospitalists. Acute VTE is usually managed with parenteral unfractionated heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin, followed by an oral vitamin K antagonist. Data are lacking for optimal treatment of less common occurrences, such as upper extremity DVT, and for approaches such as thrombolysis for PE associated with early signs of hemodynamic compromise or inferior vena cava filters when anticoagulation is contraindicated...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Benefits and/or harms (including costs) of non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) versus warfarin therapy need appreciation in relative and absolute terms. METHODS: Accordingly, we derived clinically relevant relative and absolute benefit/harm parameters for NOACs (apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, edoxaban) compared to warfarin from four clinical trials involving atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. For each trial, we tabulated patient numbers enduring four important outcomes and calculated unadjusted relative risk reduction (RRR) and number needed to treat (NNT)/year values (and 95% confidence intervals) for the NAOC compared to warfarin...