The HI-PRO study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, investigated the efficacy and safety of prolonged treatment with low-dose apixaban (2.5 mg twice daily) in patients with provoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) and at least one persistent risk factor such as obesity, chronic inflammatory disease, or chronic lung disease. The study included 600 patients who received apixaban or placebo for 12 months after an initial three-month anticoagulant treatment. The results showed that patients treated with apixaban had a significant reduction in the risk of symptomatic recurrent VTE (1.3% versus 10% in the placebo group; hazard ratio 0.13; p<0.001). The risk of major bleeding was low and comparable in both groups. Deaths were not related to cardiovascular or hemorrhagic causes, and the overall safety of the treatment was good. The study suggests that in patients with provoked VTE and persistent risk factors, prolonged low-intensity anticoagulation may be warranted to prevent recurrence. The results call for a reconsideration of the current recommendations on the length of treatment in this group of patients[1][2][3][4][6].