The Management of Venous Thromboembolic Disease in Older Adults

The incidence and prevalence of venous thromboembolic disease (VTED) increase progressively with age. Although the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of VTED are generally similar in older and younger adults, prevalent comorbidities often complicate the management of VTED in the elderly. The Sixth American College of Chest Physicians Consensus Conference on Antithrombotic Therapy provides comprehensive recommendations for the management of VTED. This article summarizes these recommendations as they apply to older adults and highlights factors that may modulate the diagnosis and treatment of VTED in the elderly patient.