Table 1

BSH guidance: patients with especially high thrombotic risk in whom to consider bridging with treatment-dose heparin

VTEPatients with a VTE within the previous 3 months.
Very high-risk patients such as patients with a previous VTE while on therapeutic anticoagulation who now have a target INR of 3.5.
AFPatients with a previous stroke/transient ischaemic attack in last 3 months.
Patients with a previous stroke/transient ischaemic attack and three or more of the following risk factors:

  • Congestive heart failure;

  • Hypertension (>140/90 mm Hg or on medication);

  • Age>75 years;

  • Diabetes mellitus.

MHVMechanical heart valve patients other than those with a bileaflet aortic valve and no other risk factors.

  • AF, atrial fibrillation; BSH, British Society of Haematology; INR, international normalised ratio; MHV, mechanical heart valve; VTE, venous thromboembolism.