Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis gap

From the medpage today article:

Hospital patients at risk for venous thromboembolism don't receive appropriate preventive care, no matter how developed a country they live in, researchers here said.

More than 40% of surgical patients and 60% of medical patients at risk for venous thromboembolism in a large international study failed to receive prophylaxis as recommended by the American College of Chest Physicians, reported Alexander T. Cohen, M.D., of King's College Hospital, and colleagues in the Feb. 1 issue of The Lancet.

Some 5% to 10% of overall inpatient mortality is attributed to pulmonary embolism. It is the leading preventable cause of death in hospitals, Dr. Cohen and colleagues said.

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