Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Compliance in Orthopedic Patients With Cardiac Risk Factors

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Clinical outcomes
• Public health

Background:

• Venous thromboembolism (VTE), encompassing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), poses significant health risks, including mortality.
• Effective management of VTE relies on adequate prophylactic measures, particularly in surgical patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess patient adherence to VTE prophylactic measures.
• To identify factors influencing compliance with VTE prophylaxis protocols.
• To evaluate the impact of compliance on VTE event incidence.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study conducted at Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, from October 2023 to October 2024.
• Data collection included patient demographics, clinical factors, surgical details, and VTE prophylaxis compliance (pharmacological and mechanical).
• VTE incidence and bleeding complications were monitored for 30 days post-surgery; data analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics.

Main Results:

• The study included 90 patients (mean age 58.9±8.4 years; 54% male). VTE incidence was 6.7% (DVT 4.4%, PE 2.2%).
• Overall VTE prophylaxis compliance was higher in elective surgery patients (84%) compared to emergency surgery patients (63%).
• Bleeding complications occurred in 8.9% of patients (minor 6.7%, major 2.2%).

Conclusions:

• Compliance with VTE prophylaxis is essential for mitigating thromboembolic events in orthopedic patients with cardiac risk factors.
• Adherence to prophylactic measures, especially in elective procedures, significantly impacts VTE event rates.
• Further research may explore strategies to improve compliance in emergency surgical settings.