Or they have the risk of having new thrombi or suffer from bleedings. This is the dilemma that doctors have to face every time they administer an anticoagulant treatment to patients with venous thromboembolic disease (VTE).

So far, experts considered that risks between men and women in this situation barely differed. However, a study done by the investigators of the Computerized Registry of Patients with Venous Thromboembolism (RIETE) has recently reported a new finding. Women actually bear the brunt: they bleed more than men and their mortality is higher. On the contrary, the chances they have of having another venous thrombosis are lower than in men.

The study, led by Dr. Ángeles Blanco-Molina, head of section of Internal Medicine of Reina Sofía Hospital (Córdoba) observed the parameters of 47.499 patients, of whom 51% (24.280) were women, during 253 days under anticoagulant treatment.

Authors base their conclusions to the fact that, in general, analysed patients are older and they usually show more immobilization. These situations actually worsen VTE prognosis.

Moreover, doses of anticoagulant treatment in women were higher to the ones used in men, probably because a same dose in bodies of different weight (women usually weight lower than men) leads to higher concentrations, and contributes to bleedings.