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Study: Discharged patients run risk of blood clots

Patient Access Weekly Advisor, July 25, 2007

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Hospital patients are at risk for blood clots for the first three months after being discharged, according to a new study published in the July 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The risk stems from inadequate treatment of the problem while the patients are hospitalized.

The study lead by Dr. Frederick A. Spencer, of McMaster University Medical Center in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, found that 73.7% of the cases of thromboembolism occurred after being hospitalized and 67% developed a clot within one month of hospitalization.

The study also found that simple in-hospital measures such as compression stockings, pneumatic compression devices and less often, anticoagulants could have reduced the risk of clots after discharge.

A second study found that drugs that reduce the risk of clots do not necessarily reduce the risk of mortality.

To read the article, click here.

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