Abstract
Venous thromboembolism comprising deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolus is
common. Patients with venous thromboembolism may present to a variety of health care
providers, and while a significant proportion of patients begin treatment in the hospital,
ambulatory management of both deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolus is feasible
and becoming more common. Initial anticoagulant management, investigation of venous
thromboembolism etiology, and decisions about extended anticoagulation require coordinated
care by physicians from multiple specialties. Comprehensive management of venous thromboembolism
requires coordinated care from the time of presentation in order to expedite diagnosis,
initiate timely anticoagulant treatment, determine the need for extended anticoagulation
based on risk of bleeding and recurrent thrombosis, and advise on thromboprophylaxis
during future high-risk periods for venous thromboembolism. In this review we use
case scenarios to provide an operational framework, based on current evidence-based
recommendations, for informed decision-making about a number of clinical practice
issues that are frequently encountered in the management of venous thromboembolism
patients.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 24, 2020
Footnotes
Funding: None.
Conflict of Interest: None.
Authorship: Both authors prepared the manuscript.
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© 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.