[Anticoagulant treatment of thrombo-embolic venous disease]

The curative anticoagulant treatment of venous thromboembolism is non fractionated heparin or low molecular weight heparin, secondly substituted by oral anticoagulant therapy. Early mobilisation and elastic contention should be systematically prescribed. Low molecular weight heparin once or twice a day and early substitution by vitamin K antagonist allow an ambulatory treatment for deep vein thrombosis. It is still recommended a hospital management for patients with symptomatic pulmonary embolism. It is necessary to tailor the duration of anticoagulation individually according to the extension of venous thromboembolism and the presence (or absence) of risk or triggering factors. Bleeding is the major risk of anticoagulant therapy, particularly the vitamin K antagonists, justifying patient's education, adapted and regular biological surveillance, co-ordinated care approach with practical recommendations, patient's self-monitoring.