Venous thromboembolism (VTE) carries a long-term risk of recurrence. Anticoagulation is administered with the aim of both treating the index VTE (initial management [first 5-21 days of diagnosis] and primary treatment [until 3-6 months]), and preventing recurrences (secondary prevention [beyond 3-6 months]) [1]. Intensity and duration of anticoagulant therapy should therefore be calibrated to the individual risk profile, extending treatment until recurrence risk outweighs the risk for anticoagulant-related bleeding.
