Venous Thromboembolic Disease in COVID-19, Pathophysiology, Therapy and Prophylaxis

Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep 8;23(18):10372. doi: 10.3390/ijms231810372.

Abstract

For over two years, the world has been facing the epidemiological and health challenge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Growing problems are also complications after the development of COVID-19 in the form of post and long- COVID syndromes, posing a challenge for the medical community, both for clinicians and the scientific world. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, especially thromboembolic complications, which are associated with both thrombosis of small and very small vessels due to immunothrombosis, and the development of venous thromboembolism. Low molecular wight heparin (LMHW) are the basic agents used in the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic complications in COVID-19. There is still a great deal of controversy regarding both the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic complications, including the prophylaxis dose or the optimal duration of anticoagulant treatment in patients with an episode of venous thromboembolism.

Keywords: COVID-19; NETs; SARS-CoV-2; anticoagulation treatment; immunothrombosis; thromboprophylaxis; venous thromboembolism.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • COVID-19* / complications
  • Heparin / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Venous Thromboembolism* / drug therapy
  • Venous Thromboembolism* / etiology
  • Venous Thromboembolism* / prevention & control
  • Venous Thrombosis* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Heparin

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.