ASHP Therapeutic Position Statement on the Use of Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins for Adult Outpatient Treatment of Acute Deep-Vein Thrombosis.

Outpatient treatment of DVT with LMWHs offers the opportunity to dramatically reduce the cost of treating DVT and improve the quality of life without compromising clinical outcomes. Given the choice, most patients are willing to be treated at home and are comfortable with or willing to accept the idea of giving themselves injections of LMWHs. Establishing comprehensive outpatient treatment guidelines is important to ensure that adequate support is provided by the anticoagulation provider. Pharmacists have assumed lead roles in developing and maintaining successful outpatient DVT treatment programs. Because of the safety, effectiveness, and potential savings associated with treating patients with acute DVT in the outpatient setting, ASHP encourages health care professionals to become or remain actively involved in the development and documentation of innovative outpatient DVT treatment programs. These programs will also facilitate the use of newer antithrombotic agents as they become available and receive approval for outpatient DVT treatment.