Person-centred prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism

Abstract

All medical admissions should receive risk assessment for the value of prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism. Unfortunately, for such patients the risk of thromboembolism is closely balanced with the risk of haemorrhage exaggerated by chemical prophylaxis. The recent NICE guideline continues to recommend comprehensive risk assessment, and to use prophylaxis where the risk of thromboembolism exceeds the risk of bleeding. The widely used Department of Health Risk Assessment Tool does not rank the risks of thromboembolism and bleeding, but NICE was unable to mandate another assessment tool fit for the purpose in the UK. Validated risk scores are used elsewhere, and could enable safer and better targeted prophylaxis, pending further research in the UK.