Coagulopathy and bleeding in thoracic surgery may be compounded by the chronic use of anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents. Timely preoperative cessation and postoperative resumption of these antithrombotic drugs are critical in reducing the risks of perioperative major bleeding and thromboembolism. This article describes the various strategies for the optimal perioperative management of antithrombotics based on individual assessment of each patient and the most recent multisociety guidelines.
Keywords: Bleeding; Perioperative anticoagulation; Perioperative antiplatelets; Perioperative antithrombotics; Thromboembolism.
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