Bridging therapy and oral anticoagulation: current and future prospects.
Curr Opin Hematol. 2010 Sep;17(5):444-9
Authors: Spyropoulos AC
Patients undergoing oral anticoagulation treatment with vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy are at a high risk of bleeding when undergoing an invasive surgery or procedure. Bridging therapy with parenteral heparin, usually at therapeutic doses, aims to protect these patients against thromboembolism during temporary periprocedural interruption of VKA therapy. Whether or not to interrupt VKA therapy and initiate bridging therapy is a difficult decision that is based upon both the patient's and the procedure's thromboembolic and bleeding risks.
PMID: 20613508 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]