Extended aspirin therapy for VTE

In patients with unprovoked proximal DVT or PE, aspirin reduces the rate of recurrence of VTE, but to a much lesser extent than oral anticoagulantsTran, 2019Weitz, 2017. If a decision is made not to continue with extended low-intensity anticoagulant therapy, and particularly if the patient is taking low-dose aspirin for another indication (eg acute coronary syndrome, insertion of a drug-eluting stent), aspirin may be considered as a reasonable alternative to low-intensity anticoagulation. Use:

Periodically reassess the patient’s risk of a thromboembolic event versus risk of bleeding (eg annually or when their clinical condition changes), to ensure that low-dose aspirin is still appropriate.