Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis may cause more harm than benefit: an evidence-based analysis of Canadian and international guidelines.

ABSTRACT: A majority of deep vein thromboses identified in screening studies of hospitalized patients remain clinically insignificant. Guidelines based on these studies markedly overestimate the risk of clinical venous thromboembolism (VTE) and the benefit of heparin prophylaxis. Accordingly, in 2012, the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) removed screening studies from the 9th edition of its Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy guideline (AT9), and downgraded recommendations. Involvement of authors of the 8th edition (AT8) was restricted due to financial and intellectual conflicts of interest. However, the first author of AT8 subsequently wrote a "Getting Started Kit," widely distributed to help Canadian hospitals develop VTE protocols. Based on screening studies reporting asymptomat

SUBMITTER: Kotaska A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6178253 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature