Use of antithrombotics at the end of life: an in-depth chart review study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Antithrombotics are frequently prescribed for patients with a limited life expectancy. In the last phase of life, when treatment is primarily focused on optimizing patients' quality of life, the use of antithrombotics should be reconsidered.

Methods

We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective review of 180 medical records of patients who had died of a malignant or non-malignant disease, at home, in a hospice or in a hospital, in the Netherlands. All medication prescriptions and clinical notes of patients using antithrombotics in the last three months of life were reviewed manually. We subsequently developed case vignettes based on a purposive sample, with variation in setting, age, gender, type of medication, and underlying disease.

Results

In tota

SUBMITTER: Huisman BAA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8285840 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature