Anticoagulants versus non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or placebo for treatment of venous thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the term given to any thromboembolic event (blocking of a blood vessel by a blood clot) occurring in the venous system. The current treatment recommended for VTE is anticoagulation (reduction of the blood's ability to clot). The aim of this review is to summarize results from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the effectiveness of anticoagulants (heparins, including low molecular weight heparins and vitamin K antagonists) in the treatment of VTE, compared to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or placebo.