Current strategies in prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism

During the past two decades well designed randomized controlled trials have addressed every important aspect of prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism (VTE) and treatment of established VTE. In addition, systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been performed in most of these areas. The most important advances are the widely accepted and effective VTE prophylaxis in major orthopedic surgery and the shift from in-hospital to outpatient treatment of a majority of patients with established VTE. The major hurdles at this point are efficient selection of the appropriate medically ill patients for prophylaxis and the inconvenience of long-term secondary prophylaxis with vitamin K antagonists. Although new, orally available anticoagulants without need for monitoring or dose adjustments have been in clinical trials for a decade, none is approved yet, and will not be discussed in this review.