Prevention of venous thromboembolism: recommendations based on the International Consensus and the American College of Chest Physicians Sixth Consensus Conference on Antithrombotic Therapy.

The primary purpose of a Consensus Conference is to provide informed guidance on treatment decisions, assisting clinicians to make the optimal therapeutic choice for the patient, and providing protection against unjustified malpractice actions. The First American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Consensus Conference took place in 1985 and, using a systematic approach, provided recommendations for anti-thrombotic therapy based on published studies, and graded those recommendations on the level of clinical evidence. The European Consensus Conference was convened in 1991 to build on this process. During this period, the main developments included the introduction and widespread use of new thromboprophylactic agents such as low-molecular-weight heparins, and improved risk assessment, including an awareness that outpatients and general medical patients may also be at risk. Subsequently, the recommendations have been carefully reviewed and updated by experts who represent the extensive range of opinions in the field. The latest International Consensus Statement was published in 1997, and the most recent ACCP Consensus in 2001 and they provide extensive practice guidelines in the management of venous thromboembolism.