Medical management of deep vein thrombosis

Making a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis requires both clinical assessment and objective testing. Once a patient is diagnosed with an acute deep vein thrombosis, low-molecular- weight heparin is the agent of choice for initial therapy and oral anticoagulant therapy is the standard for long-term secondary prophylaxis. Therapy should continue for at least 3 months; the decision to continue treatment beyond 3 months is made by weighing the risks of recurrent thrombosis and anticoagulant related bleeding, and is influenced by patient preference.