Venous Thromboembolism Prevention Techniques

Background: Venous thromboembolisms (VTE) are a frequent concern for patients during their hospital stays. Many patients have limited ambulation which puts them at greater risk for developing a VTE in the hospital. VTE’s can be dangerous for patients and cause irreversible damage which is why it is significant to prevent them as much as possible. In current practice, both mechanical and chemical prophylaxis are used to prevent VTE’s, however chemical methods can lead to polypharmacy issues as well as increased risk of bleeding. The purpose of this project is to determine the most effective as well as the safest method for patients, and to ultimately discover whether mechanical or chemical prophylaxis is more successful in preventing VTE’s or if they have equal efficacy rates. Literature Review: Research was conducted using the Kennesaw State University Library System. Search terms, “venous thromboembolism”, “non-ambulatory patients”, “anticoagulation medications” and “compression stockings” were used, excluding outpatient and observation patients. Of the five peer-reviewed articles that were found and used for this project, two articles determined chemical prophylaxis is more successful, one article determined mechanical prophylaxis is more successful, and the last two articles determined mechanical and chemical prophylaxis are essentially equal in efficacy. Methods: Post operative patients will be divided into two groups to prevent VTE development, one will receive anticoagulation medication therapy daily, and one will wear compression stocking devices for 24 hours a day. Evaluation: Patients will be assessed for development of a VTE after treatment, and the two groups will be compared to determine if one prophylactic method was more successful than the other. Conclusions: This information can be used to help guide current practices in medicine for VTE prophylaxis and help determine which prophylactic methods should be used for certain patients to yield the highest success rates with the lowest risk