Hospital-acquired pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, otherwise known as venous thromboembolism (VTE), is one of the most common forms of preventable death in hospitals.
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Aside from the mortality risk, VTE causes long-term, chronic conditions.
Many hospitalized patients have risk factors for VTE, which include having more than one diagnosis or condition at the same time, recent surgery, or a lack of routine ambulation.
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Even patients that are low risk at home may increase their risk for VTE in the hospital unless efforts are made to consistently assist patients to be out of bed and mobile.
While many hospitalized patients carry at least some risk of VTE, appropriate prophylaxis treatment is not always prescribed or carried out.
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Common barriers to implementing appropriate preventative treatment include:
- Lack of awareness of risk.
- Conflicting guidelines for prophylaxis treatment.
- An underestimation of the risk of harm from clot development.
- An overestimation of the risk of harm from bleeding risks associated with preventative measures.
There is strong evidence to support that prevention of hospital-acquired VTE requires a multi-faceted strategy to ensure that protective measures are carried out reliably for all applicable patients.
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- Rathbun S. The surgeon general’s call to action to prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Circulation. 2009:119(15): 480–482.
- Clagett GP, Anderson FA Jr, Heit, JA, et al. Prevention of venous thromboembolism. Chest. 1995:108(4 Suppl):312S–334S.
- Tapson VF, Hyers TM, Waldo AL, et al. Antithrombotic therapy practices in U.S. hospitals in an era of practice guidelines. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2005:165(13): 1,458–1,464.
- Maynard G. Designing and implementing effective VTE prevention protocols: lessons from collaboratives. Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis, 2010:29(2): 159–166.
