Prevention and clinical outcomes in older inpatients with suspected venous thromboembolism.

Jung-Ah Lee, Brenda K Zierler
Author Information
  1. Jung-Ah Lee: University of California-Irvine, College of Health Sciences, Program in Nursing Science, Irvine, California 92697-3959, USA. jungahl@uci.edu

Abstract

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the most common preventable disorders among hospital inpatients. Advancing age is a major risk factor for VTE. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare prevention practices and clinical outcomes in older (age 65 and older) versus younger (ages 18 to 64) hospitalized patients at risk for or diagnosed with VTE. Medical charts of 210 older and 450 younger inpatients undergoing diagnostic tests to rule out VTE were reviewed at an academic medical center. Acute VTE was diagnosed in 17.1% of older and 22.7% of younger inpatients. Pharmacological prophylaxis was used in 70% of eligible older and 57% of eligible younger inpatients. Nearly one quarter of eligible older inpatients did not receive any VTE prevention measures. The 3-month mortality was higher in older inpatients (13.9%) compared with younger inpatients (9.8%) with VTE, despite the lower rate of VTE in older inpatients. Prevention measures for VTE were underused in both older and younger inpatients.

Grants

  1. 1 U18 HS015898/AHRQ HHS

MeSH Term

Academic Medical Centers
Adolescent
Adult
Age Distribution
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Analysis of Variance
Anticoagulants
Female
Health Care Surveys
Humans
Incidence
Inpatients
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Selection
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
Primary Prevention
Risk Factors
Treatment Outcome
Venous Thromboembolism

Chemicals

Anticoagulants

Word Cloud

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