Guidelines for the management of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing endoscopic procedures
Andrew M Veitch 1*, Trevor P Baglin 2, Anthony H Gershlick 3, Sarah M Harnden 4, Richard Tighe 5 and Stuart Cairns 6
1 New Cross Hospital, United Kingdom
2 Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
3 University Hospitals of Leicester, United Kingdom
4 New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
5 Norfolk and Norwich University Hosipital, Norwich, United Kingdom
6 Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, United Kingdom
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: andrew.veitch{at}rwh-tr.nhs.uk.
Accepted 16 April 2008
 | Abstract |
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This guideline deals primarily with elective endoscopic procedures. In the emergency situation of acute gastrointestinal haemorrhage, the immediate risk to the patient from haemorrhage may outweigh the risk of thrombosis as a result of discontinuing anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy. If clopidogrel therapy for coronary artery stents needs to be discontinued in this context, then this should be limited to 5 days as the risk of stent thrombosis increases after this interval.
