Venous Thromboprophylaxis Case Study

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"Heparin vs. Lovenox for VTE prophylaxis - is one better than the other?"

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a condition that involves the obstruction of a blood vessel caused by a clot. This blood clot can dislodge and travel through the bloodstream and cause an obstruction of blood flow in different areas of the body. Clot formation within the deep vein results in a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), while an embolus travelling within the lungs can result in a pulmonary embolism (PE). The use of thromboprophylaxis reduces the risk of VTE development in hospitalized medical and surgical patients who possess clinical risk factors.

Prophylactic therapy includes the use of low-dose unfractionated heparin (LDUH), low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), fondaparinux, oral direct thrombin inhibitors, oral direct factor Xa inhibitors, and thromboembolic deterrent (TED) stockings/sequential compression devices (SCDs). The choice of therapy is determined by drug efficacy, safety, ease of administration, and cost-effectiveness in relation to the patient.1 …show more content…
Based on a patient's creatinine clearance and body weight, an enoxaparin dose of 30 to 40 mg is recommended to be administered subcutaneously every 12 to 24 hours. Enoxaparin use in patients receiving dialysis is not recommended due to an increased risk of bleeding, but both enoxaparin and heparin can be used in pregnant
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