Hemorrhagic complications of oral anticoagulant therapy

Although the efficacy of anticoagulant therapy has been established for man y conditions that are prevalent among the elderly population, the decision to initiate anticoagulant therapy in the elderly population is not straight forward because elderly patients with multiple comorbidities and varying le vels of functional status are not routinely included in clinical trials of efficacy. The true benefits of anticoagulant therapy will be realized when health care providers and elderly patients can accurately assess the absolu te risk versus the benefit associated with anticoagulant therapy.