American journal of hematology
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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is common but often unrecognized in medically ill patients. Over the past 5 years, three large-scale placebo-controlled trials enrolling a total of 5500 medically ill patients have highlighted the risk of VTE in this group. These trials have helped to define a specific at-risk patient profile, including those admitted to the hospital with severe congestive heart failure, respiratory illness, acute infection, and inflammatory bowel disease. ⋯ In this post-intervention phase, where 79% of patients were at risk for VTE, prophylaxis rates improved to 72%. Based on these results, we conclude that the majority of patients admitted to the medical service at our tertiary care center constitute a high-risk population that warrants consideration for VTE prophylaxis. Implementation of strategies to improve prophylaxis rates, including educational sessions and risk stratification guidelines, can be successful and improve identification and prophylaxis of this population.