Letter to the Editor

Venous Thromboembolism: Are NOACs the Right Initial Drug of Choice for Unprovoked Venous Thromboembolism?

Authors: Ahmed K. Pasha, MD, Anupa Baral, MD, Muhammad Umer Siddiqui, MD

Abstract

To the Editor: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common vascular disorder affecting approximately 500,000 people each year in the United States.1 With the advent of novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs), the treatment of VTE has been revolutionized, especially of provoked deep vein thrombosis.2 There remains a concern when VTE is unprovoked when using these agents, however.

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References

1. Beckman MG, Hooper WC, Critchley SE, et al. Venous thromboembolism: a public health concern. Am J Prev Med 2010;38( 4 suppl ):S495-S501.
2. Coleman CI, Turpie AGG, Bunz TJ, et al. Effectiveness and safety of rivaroxaban versus warfarin in patients with provoked venous thromboembolism. J Thromb Thrombolysis 2018;46:339-345.
3. Skeith L. Anticoagulating patients with high-risk acquired thrombophilias. Blood 2018;132:2219-2229.