Efficacy of low-dose rivaroxaban in an 88-year-old female with pulmonary embolism: A case report

We present an 88-year-old female with dyspnea and fatigue, which became increasingly worse over a month in the absence of medication. Her weight was 64 kg. Routine coagulation assays and renal function were normal at time of admission. Diagnosis: Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism were confirmed by venous compression ultrasonography and computed tomography pulmonary angiography. Interventions: Oral rivaroxaban 10 mg twice daily was administered, but the patient developed hemoptysis and gum bleeding 5 days later. The dose of rivaroxaban was reduced to 10 mg once daily, and bleeding gradually disappeared after 3 days. Outcome: At follow-up 90 days after treatment, the patient reported no discomfort. Venous compression ultrasonography and computed tomography pulmonary angiography showed normal results; therefore, treatment was terminated. Lessons: Elderly patients exhibit variable tolerance of anticoagulants, warranting careful consideration of the risk of bleeding. Low-dose rivaroxaban was an effective treatment for pulmonary embolism in the elderly patient presented here.
Source: Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Tags: Research Article: Clinical Case Report Source Type: research