Recommendations on prevention of VTE based on the patient populations and interventions
| Patients who are acutely ill: pharmacological prophylaxis, addressing the following comparisons: |
| Parenteral anticoagulant vs no parenteral anticoagulant |
| LMWH vs unfractionated heparin |
| Fondaparinux vs low molecular weight heparin or unfractionated heparin |
| Patients who are critically ill: pharmacological prophylaxis, addressing the following comparisons: |
| Any heparin vs no heparin |
| LMWH vs unfractionated heparin |
| Patients who are acutely or critically ill: mechanical prophylaxis, addressing the following comparisons: |
| Mechanical vs pharmacological prophylaxis |
| Mechanical vs no prophylaxis |
| Mechanical combined with pharmacological vs mechanical alone |
| Mechanical combined with pharmacological vs pharmacological alone |
| Intermittent pneumatic compression stockings vs graduated compression stockings |
| DOACs in medical patients who are acutely ill |
| DOACs vs prophylactic LMWH |
| Extended-duration DOACs vs shorter-duration non-DOAC prophylaxis |
| Extended-duration outpatient prophylaxis vs inpatient-only prophylaxis |
| Medical patients who are acutely ill |
| Medical patients who are critically ill |
| Patients who are chronically ill or those in nursing home |
| Pharmacological prophylaxis vs no prophylaxis |
| Medical outpatients with minor provoking factors for VTE (eg, immobility, minor injury, illness, and infection) |
| Prophylaxis vs no prophylaxis |
| Long-distance travelers: prophylaxis addressing the following comparisons: |
| Graduated compression stockings |
| LMWH |
| Aspirin vs no prophylaxis |
| Patients who are acutely ill: pharmacological prophylaxis, addressing the following comparisons: |
| Parenteral anticoagulant vs no parenteral anticoagulant |
| LMWH vs unfractionated heparin |
| Fondaparinux vs low molecular weight heparin or unfractionated heparin |
| Patients who are critically ill: pharmacological prophylaxis, addressing the following comparisons: |
| Any heparin vs no heparin |
| LMWH vs unfractionated heparin |
| Patients who are acutely or critically ill: mechanical prophylaxis, addressing the following comparisons: |
| Mechanical vs pharmacological prophylaxis |
| Mechanical vs no prophylaxis |
| Mechanical combined with pharmacological vs mechanical alone |
| Mechanical combined with pharmacological vs pharmacological alone |
| Intermittent pneumatic compression stockings vs graduated compression stockings |
| DOACs in medical patients who are acutely ill |
| DOACs vs prophylactic LMWH |
| Extended-duration DOACs vs shorter-duration non-DOAC prophylaxis |
| Extended-duration outpatient prophylaxis vs inpatient-only prophylaxis |
| Medical patients who are acutely ill |
| Medical patients who are critically ill |
| Patients who are chronically ill or those in nursing home |
| Pharmacological prophylaxis vs no prophylaxis |
| Medical outpatients with minor provoking factors for VTE (eg, immobility, minor injury, illness, and infection) |
| Prophylaxis vs no prophylaxis |
| Long-distance travelers: prophylaxis addressing the following comparisons: |
| Graduated compression stockings |
| LMWH |
| Aspirin vs no prophylaxis |
Adapted from the article by Schünemann et al.3
DOACS, direct oral anticoagulants; LMHW, low molecular weight heparin.