Heparin and Survival in Cancer Patients
The bi-directional association between cancer and the coagulation system has been known for almost 2 centuries. During the past 2 decades research has focused on the precise mechanisms through which…
Oral IIa Inhibitors
Direct oral factor IIa inhibitors represent a new class of anticoagulants for the prevention and treatment of venous and selected arterial thomboembolisms. Dabigatran etexilate is the most studied and promising…
Oral Xa Inhibitors
Several new oral drugs that selectively and directly inhibit factor Xa seem promising alternatives to existing antithrombotic drugs. These drugs have a convenient route of administration, can be given in…
Optimizing Use of Current Anticoagulants
Although warfarin has been the mainstay of oral anticoagulation therapy for decades, evidence-based methods for improving the quality of warfarin therapy remain underused. The arrival of new anticoagulants that do…
Cancer-Associated Thrombosis
Venous thromboembolic events are common in patients with malignancy, producing both morbidity and mortality. Although the underlying mechanisms by which cancer might promote a procoagulant state are multifaceted and incompletely…
Novel Risk Factors for Venous Thromboembolism
VTE can be considered as a multicausal disease involving various inherited and acquired prothrombotic conditions. Although greater emphasis has classically been given to traditional thrombophilic risk factors, there is increasing…
Prevention and Treatment of Hormone-Associated Venous Thromboembolism: A Patient Management Approach
Given the known increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) associated with both oral contraceptive (OC) use and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), it is important to address questions about the prevention…
Antiphospholipid Syndrome: A Challenging Hypercoagulable State with Systemic Manifestations
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic disease that causes venous and arterial thrombosis in virtually any organ and is responsible for fetal losses and pregnancy disorders. Previously, APS was thought…
Pulmonary Embolism in Medical-Surgica l Critically Ill Patients
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the most dangerous complication of venous thrombosis. Objectively confirmed PE is a potentially life-threatening complication of critical illness. In medical-surgical critically ill patients, signs and symptoms…