| Summary: | The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) System serves a largely older, male population with a high prevalence of chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Many veterans with chronic AF have risk profiles for stroke that, according to current clinical guidelines, place them in a risk group where chronic anticoagulation is recommended. Adjusted-dose warfarin has been the preferred approach to chronic anticoagulation in the VHA, and in many VHA settings, specialized therapeutic drug-monitoring services provide high-quality warfarin treatment. However, the advent of newer anticoagulants with the promise of simplified long-term anticoagulation requires reconsideration of current treatment practices. The purpose of this systematic review was to study the comparative effectiveness of warfarin and the newer oral anticoagulants used for the long-term prevention and treatment of arterial and venous thromboembolism. An evaluation of newer oral anticoagulants for VTE prophylaxis in the perioperative period will be the subject of a later report
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