OBJECTIVE To evaluate risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) despite thromboprophylaxis in major orthopedic surgery patients at a tertiary care hospital. METHODS Charts from consecutive patients who underwent total hip replacement (THR), total knee replacement (TKR), or hip fracture surgery (HFS) [hip pinning or hemiarthroplasty] from August 1, 1999, to April 30, 2000, at a large Canad...

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication among acutely ill medical patients hospitalized for congestive heart failure, acute respiratory insufficiency, rheumatologic disorders, and acute infectious and/or inflammatory diseases. Based on robust data from randomized controlled studies and meta-analyses showing a reduced incidence of VTE by 40% to about 60% with pharmacologic thromb...

OBJECTIVES The prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a priority for improved safety in hospitalised patients. Worldwide, there is growing concern over the undersuse of appropriate thromboprophylaxis. Computerised decision support improves the implementation of thromboprophylaxis and reduces inpatient VTE. However, an economic assessment of this approach has not yet been performed. OBJ...

BACKGROUND Little information exists on the presentation of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in orthopaedic surgery when a defined protocol for thromboprophylaxis is used. The objective with this study was to establish the VTE rate and mortality rate in orthopaedic surgery. METHODS We performed a prospective, single centre observational cohort study of 45 968 consecutive procedures in...

BACKGROUND Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common preventable cause of mortality in hospitalized medical patients. Despite rigorous randomized trials generating strong recommendations for anticoagulant use to prevent VTE, nearly 40% of medical patients receive inappropriate thromboprophylaxis. Knowledge-translation strategies are needed to bridge this gap. METHODS We conducted a 16-week pil...

BACKGROUND Both cancer patients and patients undergoing surgery are thought to be at an increased risk of thrombo-embolic events. Consequently, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is administered to all such patients perioperatively. There is a lack of consensus in guidelines regarding the timing of administration and the dosage of thromboprophylactic agents. Studies have shown that thrombo-ela...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The risk of venous thromboembolism in medical patients is comparable to the risk in general surgical patients. Thromboprophylaxis is recommended for specific medical patients, but its use in clinical practice is unknown. DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of the charts of consecutive patients discharged from 2 departments of Internal Medicine, one...

BACKGROUND Limited data is available regarding the pharmacological prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Asian patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty (TKA/THA). METHODS We performed a population-based epidemiological study using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database to estimate the rate of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis and it...

BACKGROUND & AIMS Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) have increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE); those who require hospitalization have particularly high risk. Few hospitalized patients with IBD receive thromboprophylaxis. We analyzed the frequency of VTE after IBD-related hospitalization, risk factors for post-hospitalization VTE, and the efficacy of prophylaxis in prev...