Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Medical Patients
Authors: Paul S. Agutter, P. Colm Malone
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2012)

Letters20 March 2012Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Medical PatientsPaul S. Agutter, MD, PhD and P. Colm Malone, MDPaul S. Agutter, MD, PhDFrom Theoretical Medicine and Biology Group, Glossop SK13 7RR, United Kingdom, and Birmingham B5 7UY, United Kingdom.Search for more papers by this author and P. Colm Malone, MDFrom Theoretical Medicine and Biology Group, Glossop SK13 7RR, United Kingdom, and Birmingham B5 7UY, United Kingdom.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-156-6-201203200-00018 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:The recent review by Lederle and colleagues (1) supporting the ACP clinical guideline for hospitalized medical and stroke patients (2) showed that both low-molecular-weight and unfractionated heparin fail to reduce VTE mortality and deep venous thrombosis (DVT)–related morbidity in patients overall but increase the likelihood of major bleeding. Our recent article (3) yielded the same inferences but was surprisingly not cited in the guideline (2). Qaseem and colleagues recommend that for most patients, heparin prophylaxis should be used only when risk for VTE exceeds the risk for bleeding, but how these risks are computed and compared is ...References1. Lederle FA, Zylla D, MacDonald R, Wilt TJ. Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in hospitalized medical patients and those with stroke: a background review for an American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline. Ann Intern Med. 2011;155:602-15. [PMID: 22041949] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Qaseem A, Chou R, Humphrey LL, Starkey M, Shekelle P; Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians. Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in hospitalized patients: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2011;155:625-32. [PMID: 22041951] LinkGoogle Scholar3. Cundiff DK, Agutter PS, Malone PC, Pezzullo JC. Diet as prophylaxis and treatment for venous thromboembolism? Theor Biol Med Model. 2010;7:31. [PMID: 20701748] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Malone PC, Agutter PS. The Aetiology of Deep Venous Thrombosis. Dordrecht: Springer; 2008. Google Scholar5. Hamer JD, Malone PC. Experimental deep venous thrombogenesis by a non-invasive method. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 1984;66:416-9. [PMID: 6508162] MedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Theoretical Medicine and Biology Group, Glossop SK13 7RR, United Kingdom, and Birmingham B5 7UY, United Kingdom.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoVenous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Patients: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians Amir Qaseem , Roger Chou , Linda L. Humphrey , Melissa Starkey , Paul Shekelle , and Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Medical Patients and Those With Stroke: A Background Review for an American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline Frank A. Lederle , Dylan Zylla , Roderick MacDonald , and Timothy J. Wilt Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Medical Patients David K. Cundiff Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Medical Patients Amir Qaseem , Roger Chou , Linda Humphrey , and Paul Shekelle Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Hospitalized Medical Patients Graham Mills Metrics 20 March 2012Volume 156, Issue 6Page: 473KeywordsDietEtiologyHemorrhageHeparinHypoxiaMorbidityProphylaxisStrokeVenous thromboembolism ePublished: 20 March 2012 Issue Published: 20 March 2012 CopyrightCopyright © 2012 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...