A comparison of 3 and 6 weeks' anticoagulation in the treatment of venous thromboembolism.
One hundred hospital in-patients treated for pulmonary embolism (PE) and/or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were randomly allocated to receive 3 or 6 weeks' anticoagulation with heparin and warfarin. At one year recurrence rates were 12% in the 6 week group and 10% in those treated for 3 weeks. No patient died as a result of recurrence. Our study suggests that 3 weeks' anticoagulation therapy, using intravenous heparin for the first 5 days and warfarin from the third day, is adequate for patients without persisting risk factors.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D011897:Random Allocation; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014859:Warfarin; D006493:Heparin