| Related Articles |
Is The Campaign To Prevent Venous Thromboembolism In Hospitalized Patients Working?
Chest. 2010 Sep 30;
Authors: Stein PD, Matta F, Dalen JE
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Trends in the development of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) occurring within the hospital, and trends in admissions because of a principal diagnosis of DVT and PE are not known. Such trends would be useful in assessing the effectiveness of antithrombotic prophylaxis in high-risk hospitalized patients. METHODS: The number of patients hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of DVT, a principal diagnosis of PE, and incidence occurring as a secondary diagnosis during hospitalization in short-stay hospitals in U.S. from 1979 through 2006 were obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Survey. RESULTS: From 1989-2006, secondary (in-hospital) DVT increased 3.1 times from 35/100,000 population to 107/100,000 population (P < 0.0001). During this same time period, hospitalizations for an admitting diagnosis of DVT remained unchanged. From 1992-2006, the incidence of PE in hospitalized patients increased 2.5 times from 33/100,000 population to 83/100,000 population, but in contrast to DVT, the increase was due to an increase in PE as a principal diagnosis (from 18/100,000 population to 49/100,000 population). The incidence of a secondary diagnosis of PE increased at a lower rate. CONCLUSION: Efforts to prevent DVT in high-risk hospitalized patients appear to be inadequate. Therapy of DVT, however, appears to be effective.
PMID: 20884726 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]