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Previous Volume 349:675-683 August 14, 2003 Number 7 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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This Journal feature begins with a case vignette highlighting a common clinical problem. Evidence supporting various strategies is then presented, followed by a review of formal guidelines, when they exist. The article ends with the author's clinical recommendations.

A 75-year-old man with diabetes mellitus is found to have chronic atrial fibrillation, and warfarin therapy is begun for the prevention of thromboembolic stroke. How should the anticoagulant therapy be initiated and managed?

The Clinical Problem

For more than 50 years, the availability of vitamin K antagonists¹ has made possible effective primary and secondary prevention of arterial and venous thromboembolism. Although such drugs are often . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Strategies and Evidence

Efficacy of Vitamin K Antagonists

Initiation of Therapy

Intensity of Treatment

Duration of Anticoagulant Therapy

Interactions with Vitamin K Antagonists

The Quality of Monitoring of Anticoagulation

Reversal of Anticoagulation

Surgery during Anticoagulant Therapy

Areas of Uncertainty

Guidelines

Conclusions and Recommendations

Source Information

From the Coagulation Unit, Department of Hematology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Schulman at the Coagulation Unit, Karolinska Hospital, S-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden, or at sam.schulman@ks.se.

Related Letters:

Long-Term Anticoagulant Therapy
Itskowitz M. S., Schulman S.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2003; 349:1976-1977, Nov 13, 2003. Correspondence

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