A fundamental consideration of anticoagulant therapy.

Abstract

THE fundamental problem in all anticoagulant therapy is to maintain a decreased coagulability of the blood until the danger of thrombosis is past. Since as yet there is no adequate clinical test to demonstrate a thrombotic tendency, the indications for anticoagulant therapy are essentially statistical, being limited to cases in which experience has shown a high incidence of thrombosis. This varies from almost certain further thrombosis and embolism, with the patient showing frequent recurrences of these vascular accidents, to the definite but low incidence for general postoperative cases. Although anticoagulant therapy is essential for the first type of patient, it . . .