Anticoagulation in intensive care medicine

Anticoagulant drugs are frequently used in intensive care medicine for prev ention and treatment of thromboembolism, Unfractionated heparin, low molecu lar weight heparins, heparin derivatives, hirudine, and oral anticoagulants have to be used with regard to the clinical situation. In critically ill p atients anticoagulant therapy must be individually adapted and meticulously monitored. Profiles of anticoagulant drugs, recommendations for dosage and drug monitoring are presented. Prophylactic treatment of deep vein thrombo sis is widely used, however, there is still a lack of controlled studies in this specific clinical setting.