[Risk and management of anti-vitamin K in the elderly].

VKA are underused in elderly patients with thrombo-embolic disease, mainly because of their increased risk of bleeding. However, in most cases, evaluation of this risk versus the efficacy in prevention of thrombo-embolic events, should not lead to a therapeutic abstention. The use of VKA in frail elderly patients requires a specific clinical assessment before and during treatment. Moreover, initiation and management of VKA therapy offers some specificities in older patients.