Coagulopathy is emerging as a contributor to decline among patients seriously ill with COVID-19, leading to new recommendations for thromboprophylaxis.

Hospitalised patients may need to be on heparin and should have their risk assessed, say leading Australian haematologists.

New guidance from the Thrombosis and Haemostasis Society of Australia and New Zealand (THANZ) also suggests continuing the treatment after discharge to reduce the likelihood of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

The statement, published Thursday, comes amid growing concerns that those with severe COVID-19 are at increased risk of coagulopathy and emerging evidence that COVID-19 is not just a respiratory disease but also a blood vessel disorder.