CardioExchange Archive

April 28th, 2015

No Advantage to Adding Inferior Vena Cava Filters to Anticoagulation

Larry Husten, PHD

Despite a lack of supporting evidence  many patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) receive inferior vena cava filters to prevent pulmonary embolism (PE). Now a new study published in JAMA offers no evidence of benefit for the use of these devices in a high-risk population already receiving anticoagulant drugs. A group of French physicians randomized nearly 400 […]

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March 6th, 2014

Vena Cava Filters Reduce Pulmonary Emboli But Increase VTE Recurrence Tenfold

Inferior vena cava filters seem to offer protection against death from pulmonary embolism when compared with anticoagulant therapy, but they have no significant effect on all-cause mortality. In addition, the filters are associated with higher rates of recurrent venous thromboembolism, according to an article in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Researchers examined data […]

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March 26th, 2013

Should the Use of IVC Filters be Filtered Until We Have More Data?

Behnood Bikdeli, M.D.

There’s been a remarkable increase in the use of IVC filters, but what is the evidence base behind this mechanistically appealing approach?

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August 9th, 2010

FDA Issues Warning About Inferior Vena Cava Filters

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA has issued an initial communication informing health professionals that it is evaluating reports of adverse events with the long-term use of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters. The FDA “recommends that implanting physicians and clinicians responsible for the ongoing care of patients with retrievable IVC filters consider removing the filter as soon as protection […]

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