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Published on: February 10, 2023
Venous thromboembolism prevention: a systematic review of methods to improve prophylaxis and decrease events in the
Charles E Mahan1, Alexander C Spyropoulos
1Cardinal Health Pharmacy Solutions, Lovelace Medical Center, Albuquerque, NM 87102, USA. charles.mahan@lovelace.com
Hospital Practice (1995)
|May 18, 2010
Summary
Multifaceted interventions, including provider education and alerts, are most effective for preventing hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (VTE). Passive strategies alone are insufficient; future research should compare intervention effectiveness and safety.
Area of Science:
- Medical Research
- Hospital Quality Improvement
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention is a critical focus in US hospitals, with initiatives targeting hospital-acquired VTE.
- Effective VTE prevention strategies are essential for improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare burdens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current strategies for preventing VTE in hospitalized patients.
- To identify the most effective interventions for increasing VTE prophylaxis rates.
- To highlight areas for future research in VTE prevention.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on VTE prevention strategies in hospital settings.
- Analysis of the effectiveness of active, multifaceted interventions versus passive strategies.
- Examination of factors contributing to inappropriate VTE prophylaxis, such as duration.
Main Results:
- Active, multifaceted interventions (provider education, reminders, audit/feedback) are most effective for VTE prevention.
- Electronic or human alerts, often involving pharmacists, demonstrate success.
- Passive strategies like guideline dissemination are insufficient alone; inappropriate duration is a key issue.
Conclusions:
- Multifaceted active interventions are superior to passive methods for VTE prophylaxis.
- Future studies should compare different multifaceted interventions, assessing VTE rates, bleeding risks, and prophylaxis appropriateness.
- Addressing inappropriate prophylaxis duration is crucial for improving VTE prevention outcomes.
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