Key result
Continuing antithrombotics near end of life is linked to up to ~10% bleeding risk.
Why the study?
Antithrombotics at the end-of-life pose a clinical challenge where indication-specific time-to-benefit, bleeding risk, and patient priorities must be reconciled over short prognostic horizons.
Does deprescribing antithrombotic therapy reduce bleeding without increasing symptomatic thrombosis in patients at the end of life?
Does deprescribing antithrombotic therapy reduce bleeding without increasing symptomatic thrombosis in patients at the end of life?
This review highlights the need for shared decision making and proactive deprescribing of antithrombotics at the end of life to minimize bleeding risks when prognostic horizons are too short for meaningful thrombotic prevention.
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May support deprescribing consideration near end of life; leaves open need for randomized confirmation of thrombosis safety.
Gurumurthy et al. (2026) conducted a review in End-of-life / Palliative care. Antithrombotic therapy vs. Deprescribing or discontinuation was evaluated. In patients nearing the end of life, continuing antithrombotics is associated with a high incidence of clinically relevant bleeding (up to 10%) but low short-term risk of new symptomatic thrombosis, supporting proactive deprescribing.
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