Wednesday, March 30, 2011

DVT awareness Month - March 2011
Photo: Melanie ( David Bloom NBC reporter) -National spokes person (USA) for Coalition against deep vein thrombosis

Venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are important clinical conditions that occur in the hospitalized patients. The mortality and morbidity associated with them can be prevented by precautions and medical therapies prior to their onset. Hospitals are encouraged to have written protocols to prevent venous thromboembolism in the hospitalized patients. Heparin, oral anticoagulants are regularly used in the prevention and treatment of VTE. The newer oral direct Xa inhibitors are undergoing phase III trials and soon there is a possibility that they are going to be released in to the market 2013. Riveroxaban, Apixaban, Edoxaban are going to be used in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis without much biochemical monitoring. Thrombolytic usage may increase in the coming years with an idea to prevent post thrombotic syndrome which is currently expected to be as high as 50%. During this month we organized many meetings in the hospitals to share the information and educate the hospital staff. DVT Awareness Meetings were conducted in all the major cities by doctors with lot of enthusiasm. The findings of ENDORSE study were discussed and it was stressed that 50% of the patients getting admitted in to the acute care hospitals are at risk of VTE and only 16% of the surgical and 19% of the medical patients who are at risk of the VTE received the thrombosis prophylaxis. More efforts are needed to identify the patients at risk with the help of RAMs ( risk assessment modules) and adequate prophylactic measures should be taken to reduce the DVT, PE related and deaths and post thrombotic syndrome.

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